Vladyslav Yesypenko, Radio Liberty journalist, is finally free after spending over four years in a Russian prison in Russian-occupied Crimea.

Vladyslav wrote for Crimea.Realities, a regional news outlet of Radio Liberty. He was detained in March 2021 by the Russian FSB.

After the Russian annexation of Crimea, Vladyslav and his family left the peninsula but he returned several times to report on the situation in Crimea.

On February 16, 2022, a closed-door trial sentenced Vladyslav to six years in prison.

Vladyslav said that he was tortured with electric shocks during his trial to get a false confession.
He recalled: “My eyes hurt and my brain almost boiled…I was ready to sign anything or tell them anything.”

In September 2023 the EU announced sanctions on six individuals, including two judges and one prosecutor who took part in the politically motivated proceedings against Vladyslav, and two FSB officers who are responsible for torturing the journalist.

Radio Liberty thanked the governments of the United States and Ukraine for the efforts made to bring Vladyslav home.
https://x.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1936864969624101058