Today marks the 29th birthday of Bohdan Ziza, a talented artist, a true patriot, and an activist who was never afraid to express his stance, even during the most difficult times. He has been unlawfully imprisoned in Russia for over two and a half years. Bohdan was keen on sports, poetry, photography, video filming, and 3D modeling.

In May 2022, he carried out one of the boldest acts of protest against the occupation: He doused the building of the occupation administration in Yevpatoriia with yellow and blue paint and threw a Molotov cocktail at it. This became a symbol of resistance and protest against the aggressive war and Russian occupation, showing the world that even under occupation, the people of Crimea continue to struggle for the freedom of their land.

Soon after the protest, he was arrested. The occupation administration exerted physical and psychological pressure on him in an attempt to force him to confess to fabricated charges of so-called “terrorism.” In June 2023, a court in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, sentenced him to 15 years in a high-security penal colony.

Bohdan Ziza embodies courage and resilience. His release, as well as the return of all Ukrainian political prisoners, will be an essential step toward the restoration of justice, freedom, and the sovereignty of Ukraine.

Today, Bohdan should be with his loved ones, enjoying life and sharing his inspiration with others. Instead, he is forced to fight for his life in the inhumane conditions of a Russian prison. His story is not only a personal tragedy but also evidence of the systematic suppression by the occupiers of Ukrainian identity, freedom of speech, and human rights.

We do not doubt that Bohdan Ziza, like many other Ukrainian political prisoners, will soon celebrate his holiday in free Ukrainian Crimea.