Mariana Katzarova reported to the UN General Assembly that in the past three years, thousands have been imprisoned on politically motivated charges in Russia, including treason, espionage, extremism, and terrorism, often with fabricated evidence and closed trials, affecting individuals from children to the elderly. The UN Human Rights Council-appointed Special Rapporteur highlighted a pattern of using national security and public safety laws to criminalize dissent and suppress civic space.
Treason prosecutions soar
Treason prosecutions have increased significantly since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, with 760 verdicts by mid-2025. Espionage cases also rose sharply, from five before the invasion to 159 cases involving 182 people by mid-2025, often combined with terrorism charges for harsher sentences. Russian courts averaged over five terrorism-related sentences daily in 2025. The national “List of Terrorists and Extremists” grew from 1,600 names in 2022 to over 18,000 in 2025, including more than 150 children and hundreds of organizations.
Repression spreads
Earlier this month, the Federal Security Service opened a terrorism case against 22 members of the exiled Russian Anti-war Committee, illustrating the extension of repression beyond national borders. Targets include opposition figures, journalists, academics, and others opposing Russia’s war against Ukraine. On 22 October, the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office sought to have Alexey Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation declared a “terrorist organization.” Extremism provisions without international law basis have targeted anti-war expression and those linked to Navalny. The “extremist” label has affected religious and ethnic minorities, Indigenous Peoples, and LGBT persons, with hundreds of convictions, including more than 100 related to LGBT activities.
Torture of Ukrainian prisoners
The report details the systematic torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians under Russian control, primarily accused of espionage and terrorism, facing lengthy sentences. Ukrainian detainees experienced starvation, denial of medical care, and torture, including rape and electric shocks, with medical professionals allegedly involved. Thousands of deported Ukrainian civilians remain missing in Russia. Ms. Katzarova called for the release of politically motivated detainees in Russia and civilian Ukrainian detainees, including children.
‘Perpetrators enjoy total impunity’
She urged accountability for torture and deaths in custody and an end to Russia’s misuse of national security laws to silence dissent. With justice unattainable in Russia, she called for international action through universal jurisdiction to ensure accountability and protect at-risk individuals. Special Rapporteurs and other human rights experts under the Human Rights Council are independent of any organization and unpaid.
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