The Crimean Tatar Resource Center welcomes Yevgen back to his family and loved ones and wishes him a speedy recovery after years of unjust imprisonment, good health, the warmth of family, and a peaceful life.
As a reminder, Yevgen Zhukov was detained in October 2020 as part of the persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses in occupied Crimea. In October 2022, an occupation court sentenced him to six years in prison on trumped-up charges of “organizing the activities of an extremist organization.” In fact, he has spent nearly four and a half years behind bars.
The persecution of people for their religious beliefs is a gross violation of the right to freedom of conscience and religion. The CTRC continues to call on the international community to increase pressure on Russia to end politically motivated persecution and release all illegally detained political prisoners in Crimea and other Ukrainian citizens.