Tetyana Katrychenko
She’s an alumna of the Institute of Journalism of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, who used to work for the Glavred magazine and the STB television network, collaborated with the newspapers Den and Ukrainska Pravda. Currently, she is a political columnist for the Focus magazine.
She has been covering the topic of illegally detained Ukrainian citizens on the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Donbas since 2015. She started with journalistic materials, later joined organizing advocacy campaigns to promote the release of illegally detained persons. She’s the author of the reports Military and civilian detainees in Donbas: searching for the efficient mechanism of release and Female face of Donbas hostages.
Since February 2020, she has been a member of the Interdepartmental Commission for consideration of issues related to the recognition of persons deprived of their personal freedom as a result of armed aggression against Ukraine and the implementation of measures aimed at their social protection.
Since July 2020, as an expert, she has been cooperating with USAID Human Rights in Action Program.
The 37-year-old Nataliia Vlasova and 46-year-old Viktor Shydlovskyi were detained by representatives of the pro-Russian quasi-structures of the so-called DPR on March 21, 2019, while crossing the Olenivka checkpoint. Both were traveling to the occupied Donetsk, allegedly using forged documents under the surname Petrenko. In Donetsk, their acquaintance, 47-year-old Serhii Hruzynov, was already waiting for them. During the court hearing, all three stated that they had incriminated themselves under torture, confessing to crimes they had not committed.
30 December 2024
“I disagree with the court’s decision and will appeal it. I consider myself an innocent person who has been criminally prosecuted. I am a soldier who followed the orders of the state of Ukraine. I regret nothing and repent for nothing.” This is the stance Ukrainian soldier Oleksandr Maksymchuk expressed to “Mediazona,” a Russian online platform covering court proceedings in Russia after his 20-year prison sentence was announced.
21 December 2024
The Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don has sentenced four Ukrainians accused of attempting to assassinate the so-called head of the ‘DNR,’ Oleksandr Zakharchenko, and the murder of the commander of a pro-Russian separatist battalion, Arsen Pavlov, known by his call sign ‘Motorola.’
19 June 2024
One of the most brutal Russian colonies, where Ukrainian military prisoners and civilians are held, is located in the town of Donskoy in the Tula region. MIHR has documented testimonies of several victims who were continuously beaten, tortured, and driven to insanity there.
8 February 2024
Oleksandr Medvediov, mayor of Snovsk in Chernihiv Region, was taken hostage in March 2022 when Russian forces invaded the city. Captured by enemy soldiers, he endured several days in handcuffs, subjected to brutal interrogation and physical abuse, including a broken shoulder blade, and faced a ransom demand for his release.
5 January 2024
A year ago, on the night of July 28-29, several explosions occurred in Volnovakha penal colony No. 120, known as Olenivska. A fire broke out in a barracks housing 193 Azov prisoners. About 50 soldiers were killed and more than 70 others were seriously injured. The Media Initiative for Human Rights is conducting its own investigation into the crime. This time, we are recreating the events of July 28-29, 2022 in detail.
26 July 2023