Personal Information
- Birth date
- 13 мар. 1969 г. (57 years old)
- Special circumstances
- Ukrainian citizen, journalist, dependent child/children, forced RF citizenship
- Notes
- freelance journalist for Radio Liberty (Crimea.Realities project), citizenship of the Russian Federation and Ukraine
Esipenko Vladislav Leonidovich
Case Information
- Region of case initiation:
- Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
- Detention date:
- 10 мар. 2021 г.
- Charges:
- Art. 222.1 CC RF Part 1, Art. 223.1 CC RF Part 1
- Sentence:
- 5 years general regime
- Estimated release date:
- 18 июн. 2025 г.
- Case categories:
- Journalist persecution, Ukrainian connection, Crimea
Case Description
In annexed Crimea, in March 2021, at a rally in memory of Taras Shevchenko. FSB officers detained 51-year-old freelance journalist of Radio Svoboda, Ukrainian citizen with forced Russian citizenship Vladimir Yesipenko. He was accused of illegal manufacture and trafficking of explosives or explosive devices. Yesipenko himself claimed that the grenade was planted on him, and during his detention he was tortured with electricity and beaten. For the duration of the investigation, the Ukrainian was placed in custody. On February 16, 2022, the Simferopol District Court of the Republic of Crimea found Vladimir Yesipenko guilty and sentenced him to 6 years of imprisonment, to be served in a general regime correctional colony, and a fine of 110 thousand. rubles. On August 18, 2022, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Crimea mitigated the punishment and reduced the term of imprisonment by 1 year.
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