The Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don issued 425 convictions under Russia's "terrorism" laws in the first half of 2026, accounting for more than a third of all such rulings nationwide, according to a study by the human rights project First Department and the independent Parubets Analytics research centre.
On the 12th anniversary of Russia's seizure of Crimea, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement reaffirming its non-recognition of the peninsula as a subject of the Russian Federation.
The statement notes that Turkey considers the situation that has developed following the "illegitimate referendum" to be contrary to international law. The country also stated its intention to continue monitoring the situation in Crimea, particularly the situation of the Crimean Tatars.
"We strongly support the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Turkey will continue to monitor the situation on the peninsula and keep this issue on its agenda, paying particular attention to the situation of the Crimean Tatars," Ankara noted.
Previously, Russian human rights activists have repeatedly noted that the mass criminal prosecution of Crimean Tatars is linked to their civic stance and protests against repression in Crimea.