U.S. Department of State releases report on human rights in illegally annexed Crimea

This is stated in the Report on Human Rights Practices for 2017 released by the U.S. Department of State on Friday.

"Russian authorities maintained control over Russian military and security forces deployed in Crimea. Russian security services continued to consolidate control over Crimea and restrict human rights," the document reads.

At the same time, the report recalls that the occupation authorities imposed and disproportionately applied repressive Russian Federation laws on the Ukrainian territory of Crimea.

The document draws attention to "significant violations of human rights" in the Crimea, including disappearances; torture, including punitive psychiatric incarceration; harsh prison conditions, including removing prisoners to Russia; arbitrary arrest and detention; a complete lack of judicial independence; political prisoners; interference with privacy; severe restrictions on freedom of expression and the media, including closing outlets and violence against journalists; restrictions on the internet including blocking websites; , gross and widespread suppression of freedom of assembly; severe restriction of freedom of association, including barring the Crimean Tatar Mejlis; onerous restrictions on freedom of movement; restrictions on participation in the political process; systemic rampant corruption; and violence against ethnic Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars.

This is the 43rd report of the U.S. Department of State on Human Rights Activities, which is published on an annual basis.