The moral pressure is increasing on the journalist of Radio Liberty,
political prisoner Vladyslav Yesypenko, who is under arrest. This was
reported to the Crimean Tatar Resource Center by his wife Kateryna
Yesypenko.
It is known that the man is in conditions that negatively affect his
psychological state. Nevertheless, the place of his detention receives
parcels with food and necessary things from his relatives.
Earlier, MP Yaroslav Yurchyshyn said that Yesypenko could be sentenced
to a new term of imprisonment. However, the wife denied this
information, noting that it was only Yurchyshyn’s assumption.
As a reminder, on March 10, 2021, journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko was
detained by the occupiers during his trip to Crimea, where he was
making a photo report on Taras Shevchenko’s birthday in Akmesdzhit
(Simferopol). He was accused of preparing a terrorist attack, storing
explosives, and working for the Ukrainian special services. Yesypenko
was tortured and forced to confess to the actions he was accused of.
On February 16, 2022, the man was sentenced to 6 years in a general
regime colony and a fine of 110 thousand rubles, and later the
sentence was reduced to 5 years.
Unfortunately, the persecution of journalists is widespread in the
Russia-occupied territories. For example, according to the CTRC, a
number of activists, citizen journalists, and bloggers from Crimean
Solidarity are already among the Kremlin’s numerous political
prisoners. In total, 23 Crimean journalists have been persecuted by
the occupation authorities.
20 Crimean journalists and activists are currently in FSB custody:
Aziz Azizov, Amet Suleymanov, Asan Akhtemov, Volodymyr Dudka, Dmytro
Shtyblikov, Ernes Ametov, Iryna Danilovych, Marlen Asanov, Osman
Arifmemetov, Oleksiy Bessarabov, Remzi Bekirov, Ruslan Suleymanov,
Rustem Osmanov, Rustem Sheikhaliev, Seyran Saliyev, Serhiy Tsygipa,
Server Mustafayev, Timur Ibragimov, Vladyslav Esypenko, Vilen
Temerianov.
Three more journalists were released due to the expiration of their
sentences or as part of exchanges: Nariman Dzhelial, Mykola Semena and
Nariman Memedeminov.