On April 9, the photo exhibition Imprisoned Freedom opened at the InfoHub of the European Parliament in Brussels. It is dedicated to Ukrainian journalists who are unlawfully held in Russian captivity.
The exhibition places particular focus on Crimean political prisoners — civic journalists and activists persecuted by the occupation administration on ethnic, religious, and political grounds. Among them are Iryna Danylovych, Vilen Temerianov, Aziz Azizov, Asan Akhtemov, Rustem Osmanov, Ruslan Suleimanov, and Ernes Ametov. The occupation administration falsely accuses them of “terrorism,” “extremism,” or “state treason.” These charges are unfounded and politically motivated, forming part of a broader campaign of repression aimed at erasing Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar identity and silencing freedom of speech in occupied Crimea. As of April 10, 2025, the total number of Crimean political prisoners stands at no fewer than 225 individuals, including 134 Crimean Tatars.
One of the central figures of the exhibition is Iryna Danylovych — a Crimean journalist, human rights defender, and healthcare worker, who was sentenced by an occupation “court” to seven years in prison.
The exhibition will run until April 11 and serves as an international platform to shed light on human rights violations committed by the Russian Federation, particularly in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
Ukraine urges the international community to intensify pressure on the Russian Federation to secure the release of all Ukrainian citizens held in captivity. Sustained public attention, vocal support, and coordinated action are key to bringing wrongfully convicted journalists and activists back home.
Photo exhibition Imprisoned Freedom. Photo: Iryna Zemlіanа