Human rights advocates have submitted a petition to the UN regarding the case of Crimean political prisoner and journalist Vladislav Yesipenko.

The international human rights organization Freedom Now has submitted a petition to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) on behalf of Vladislav Yesipenko, a journalist and freelancer for "Crimea. Realities," who has been unlawfully sentenced by the occupying authorities in Crimea.

This was reported on the publication's website.

"Crimea. Realities" has a document listing numerous instances where Russian authorities violated Yesipenko's rights while he was performing journalistic work in the Russian-occupied Crimea.

The petition is public, and WGAD will conduct a preliminary review within the coming weeks. The document will then be forwarded to the Russian government, which will have 60 days to respond.

If Russia does not reply, as is often the case, WGAD will continue to review the case and reach a conclusion.

Vladislav Yesipenko is a Ukrainian journalist and freelancer for "Crimea. Realities." Before his arrest, he covered social and environmental issues and conducted surveys among Crimeans.

The occupying authorities in Crimea detained him on March 10, 2021, in Simferopol. The Russian security service accused the Ukrainian of violating Part 1 of Article 223.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("illegal manufacture, alteration, or repair of firearms, its essential parts..."). On March 16, the FSB claimed that Yesipenko was allegedly engaged in "espionage and subversive activities in the interests of Ukrainian intelligence services," specifically "conducting photo and video documentation of the terrain, essential facilities, and places of mass gatherings" in Crimea.

The head of the SBU's Media and Public Relations Department, Artem Dehtyarenko, denied in a comment to ZMINA that the journalist collaborated with the Security Service of Ukraine. At the same time, he noted that the Russian authorities and the occupying administration are responsible for violating international law, political persecution, and unlawful detention of Ukrainians, particularly in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

On February 16, 2022, the illegal "judge" Dilyaver Berberov sentenced Yesipenko to six years in a general regime colony and a fine of 110,000 rubles. The Russian prosecution demanded an 11-year prison sentence for Yesipenko.

Later, on August 18, 2022, the illegal "Supreme Court of the Republic of Crimea" reduced Yesipenko's sentence to five years in a general regime colony and a fine of 110,000 rubles.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine described the sentence handed down to Yesipenko as "politically motivated."

The U.S. State Department also condemned Yesipenko's sentence, calling it "yet another example of abuses by the Russian occupying authority in Crimea."

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) referred to the Russian "verdict" in Crimea against Yesipenko as a "parody of justice."

Yesipenko himself claims that Russian security forces tortured him, including with electric shocks, to obtain the testimonies required by the FSB.