Eleven years ago, Russian authorities illegally occupied Crimea. Since then, the peninsula According to our data, as of 2024, Crimea has recorded the highest number of politically motivated criminal and administrative cases, as well as the highest rate of politically motivated detentions per 100,000 people compared to any Russian region. Since 2014, we have documented 349 individuals prosecuted in politically motivated criminal cases in Crimea and Sevastopol. This number is higher only in Moscow, where the population is five times that of Crimea. Many of those targeted by Russian authorities are Crimean Tatars. Beyond criminal and administrative prosecutions, local residents have also faced other forms of repression, including forced disappearances and torture.

In this report, we use the terms «occupied» and «occupation» in line with the terminology adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in relation to Crimea. These terms aim to emphasise the international community’s non-recognition of Russia’s unlawful annexation of Crimea.