Exactly 4 years ago, on November 27, 2019, FSB officers detained Halyna Dovhopola on suspicion of committing high treason. On March 29, 2021, the occupation court sentenced the woman to 12 years in jail in a general regime colony, with a restriction of freedom for 1 year.
All the time before the sentencing, Halina was in a pre-trial detention center. She was taken to the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center in Moscow, and at the beginning of 2021 she was returned to the Aqmescit pre-trial detention center (Simferopol).
Given the woman’s age, this period could be fatal. In addition, we must take into account the fact that Halyna has serious and chronic illnesses, which are especially evident due to inadequate conditions of detention in pre-trial detention centers and prisons, systemic ignoring of complaints by law enforcement agencies, as well as inadequate and untimely medical care.
We believe that the real reason for the detention of Halyna Dovhopola is her political views. Halyna publicly expressed her condemnation of the occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, and also maintained contact with Ukrainian volunteer organizations that operated in territory controlled by the Ukrainian government.
We call on the Russian Federation to immediately release Halyna Dovhopola and all political prisoners held in places of detention on the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol or the Russian Federation.