Two Crimeans sentenced to long prison terms for treason

Ukrainian and regional outlets describe these cases as politically driven trials by Russia and its occupation courts against POWs and civilians. They say Ukrainian soldiers captured in the Kursk fighting are protected combatants and that civilians in Crimea and occupied Zaporizhzhia are being punished for supporting their own country. They expect Ukraine to use these cases in international complaints and to push for prisoner exchanges and sanctions on Russian officials involved.

• •Ukrainian POWs sentenced in Russia for the Kursk incursion are entitled to prisoner-of-war protections under the Geneva Conventions.
• •Courts in occupied Crimea and Zaporizhzhia are described as illegitimate bodies used to pressure local residents.
• •Elderly civilians, including a 68-year-old woman from Zaporizhzhia Oblast, are being jailed for simple donations to Ukraine’s Armed Forces.
• •Russia is using terrorism and treason charges to criminalize resistance in occupied territories and to intimidate others.
• •Kyiv and its partners are expected to raise these cases in international courts and human rights bodies.