/ / Urgent Action: UKRAINIAN NURSERY TEACHER JAILED BY RUSSIA [Russian Federation 17.25]

UKRAINIAN NURSERY TEACHER JAILED BY RUSSIA [Russian Federation 17.25]

UA: 17.25 Russian Federation

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Olha Baranevska, a 61-year-old retired nursery school teacher from Melitopol, Ukraine refused to return to work at the nursery school under the Russian occupation. In May 2024, she was abducted by the occupying authorities from her home and allegedly tortured. A month later, she was briefly released only to be arbitrarily arrested and accused of hiding explosives in her garden and sentenced to six years in prison.

Amnesty International has documented that “planting of explosives and forced self-incriminating statements are commonly used by Russian police to frame and falsely imprison civilians.”

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DEADLINE EXTENDED FROM MAY 31, 2025 TO OCTOBER 18, 2025

PLEASE TAKE ACTION THROUGH OCTOBER 18, 2025

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Sample Letter

Dear Human Rights Commissioner,

I am writing to express concern for the treatment of Ukrainian civilians in the Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia, and specifically for the retired nursery teacher, Olha Baranevska (Olga Baranevskaya). I believe she might have been targeted for her pro-Ukrainian sentiments. She disappeared from her home in Melitopol on May 15, 2024. A local resident reported seeing her briefly brought home, bruised, and escorted away by three ununiformed men on May 19, 2024.

On June 27, 2024, Olha was arbitrarily arrested by police for purportedly violating the curfew. Meanwhile, the authorities reported finding explosives in her garden. At the trial that followed in November, Melitopol Interdistrict Court convicted Olha Baranevska under Art. 222.1(1) of the Russian Criminal Code (unlawful possession of explosives) and sentenced her to six years in prison, based on questionable evidence, including Olha’s “confession”.

I urge you to ensure that Olha Baranevska is immediately and unconditionally released, unless credible evidence of a crime of which she can be plausibly suspected is presented. I ask that you ensure the circumstance of her abduction, arbitrary detention, alleged torture, and the alleged falsification of evidence are investigated, and all those suspected of these human rights violations are held accountable in fair trials.

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

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Tatiana Moskalkova, Human Rights Commissioner

*Note: USPS does not offer delivery to Russia. Email target below.

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[email protected]

[email protected] Moscalkova.Tatiana

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CC: Russian Permanent Mission to the United Nations

Send a copy of your letter to the Russian Permanent Mission to the UN (see address below):

Ambassador Nebenzia Vassily Alekseevich

136 East 67 Street,

New York, NY 10065

Emails:

[email protected]

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