Ukraine’s occupied territories were given score of ’minus one’ out of 100 for freedom, - Freedom House
The territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia have, for the second year running, been ranked among the least free places in the world. In the Freedom House ranking, they scored -1 out of a possible 100, whilst Russia itself scored 12 and the territory of Ukraine under the control of the Ukrainian government scored 51.
This is highlighted in a ranking by the international human rights organisation Freedom House, according to Censor.NET.
As noted, the level of political rights in the Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia was rated at -2 out of a possible 40, whilst civil liberties were rated at 1 out of 60. The overall score is -1 out of 100, and the territories are classified as ‘not free’.
According to Freedom House and the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, Russia is systematically restricting the rights of the population in the occupied territories: it is imposing Russian legislation, banning Ukrainian political parties, suppressing independent media and persecuting people with pro-Ukrainian views.
Russian passports have been turned into a tool for exerting pressure
One of the control mechanisms has been compulsory passportisation. Residents of the occupied territories are effectively being forced to take Russian citizenship, as without a Russian Federation passport they risk losing access to healthcare, employment and the ability to manage their own property.
Those who refuse to accept Russian documents face restrictions on essential services, confiscation of property, eviction and violence.
Russia is also restructuring the education system in the occupied territories in line with its own standards. Children are taught using Russian curricula, particularly in history, and the use of the Ukrainian language or the expression of pro-Ukrainian views may serve as a pretext for persecution under the guise of combating ‘extremism’.
Hundreds of people have been detained on charges of "espionage" and "treason"
According to the UN, at least 400 people in the occupied territories have been detained on charges of ‘espionage’ or ‘treason’. The exact number of people being held incommunicado remains unknown.
Journalists, Crimean Tatars and members of religious minorities are particular targets of persecution. As of 2025, more than two dozen journalists from the occupied territories were behind bars, 17 of whom were in Crimea.
In the occupied Crimea alone, human rights activists have documented at least 1,510 cases of so-called ‘discrediting of the Russian army’ since the start of the full-scale invasion.
Over 60,000 properties have been declared ‘ownerless’
Russia is also using occupation legislation to seize the property of Ukrainians, particularly those who have been forced to leave. Houses and flats are declared ‘ownerless’, after which they can be transferred to other people or sold.
According to the UN, by July the number of such properties had exceeded 60,000. At least 6,500 of them have already been effectively confiscated. Some of the properties were handed over to the Russian military, whilst others were sold to Russian citizens at preferential prices.
