Maidan activist Mykola Shyptur has been held prisoner in Russian-occupied Crimea since Mar. 9, 2014, but his case has only just come to light now thanks to human rights activists who noticed the clear political elements in an alleged criminal conviction. The story is a shocker which highlights the abuse of the courts and media since Russia’s invasion and annexation of Crimea. It is particularly illuminating to see the way historic events recorded by the world media have been totally distorted to fit the occupation regime’s narrative.
The following is mostly based on the report by Maria Tomak who was herself alerted to Shyptur’s plight by colleagues from the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union. They have recently begun providing legal accompaniment to his case.
