The Russian forces have moved Hennadiy Osmak, a previously detained journalist from Henichesk (occupied part of Kherson oblast), to the maximum security colony No. 6 in Melekhovo, Vladimir region of Russia, reports the Crimean Tatar Resource Center (CTRC).
According to the human rights organisation, Hennadiy has endured severe physical and psychological abuse and has been completely deprived of contact with his family during the move. Only after arriving at the colony did he manage to briefly inform his family about his whereabouts.
The CTRC also discovered that Hennadiy Osmak had no access to his diabetes medications, which resulted in a sharp decline of his health. His family has been unable to deliver the medicine to the colony, which puts his life at risk.
The human rights organisation added that the cassation trial in Hennadiy Osmak’s case was scheduled for 11 December 2025.
“The lawyer plans to seek a reduction in unlawful prison term, because the journalist really had nothing to do with what the occupiers are trying to charge him with,” the CTRC said.
Russian pro-state media reported that Hennadiy Osmak had been detained in March 2024.
According to the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, the Russian forces sentenced Hennadiy Osmak to 3 years and 2 months in prison under Article 208 Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for alleged involvement in the “Noman Çelebicihan Battalion” as a member and the battalion’s “PR manager.” The Russian forces stalked Osmak before detaining him. Hennadiy Osmak had been working as a taxi driver since the start of the full-scale invasion, trying to lay low.
Who is Hennadiy Osmak
Hennadiy Osmak used to be the chief editor for the news outlet Novyi Vizit for many years.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion, the news oultet’s website went down, and on 12 March 2022, Hennadiy reported that the publication had ceased operations. There had been no contact with Osmak since then.
The website was inactive for some time, but started posting news about the work of local occupation authorities in late March 2022 and announced the appointment of the Russian-installed “acting Mayor” of Henichesk, Andrei Klochko. The website was shut down two weeks later and has not been operational since then.
Henichesk (Kherson oblast) was occupied by Russian troops on February 24, 2022.
Hennadiy Osmak is on the Institute of Mass Information’s list of journalists imprisoned by Russia.
