February 26 is the Day of Resistance to the Occupation of Crimea and Sevastopol in Ukraine.

On this day in 2014, thousands of Crimean residents gathered outside the Crimean parliament to support Ukraine’s territorial integrity and oppose Russian aggression. Within days, Russia launched the active phase of its invasion of Crimea, followed by persecution of activists, journalists, human rights defenders, and anyone who openly opposed it.

Russia uses criminal cases as a tool to silence civil society. People are detained for peaceful protests, civic activism, journalism, or even social media posts supporting Ukraine.

This day reminds us of those who stood up to Russian aggression in 2014 – and those who continue to resist today. Ukraine keeps working to free its citizens and document human rights violations in the temporarily occupied Crimea. The international community plays a key role through sanctions, monitoring, and support for political prisoners and their families.

Today, we share the stories of Crimean political prisoners.