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Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime: Council imposes sanctions on two individuals over abuses in detention centres in Crimea

European Council / Council of the European Union

Council of the EU
Press release
5 September 2025 14:23

The Council today adopted additional restrictive measures against Vadim Bulgakov and Aleksei Pikinunder the European Union's Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime.

Bulgakov and Pikin are respectively the head and deputy head of the Directorate of the Russian Federal Penal Enforcement Service for the 'Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol', and therefore responsible for detainees and prisoners, in particular political prisoners, in Crimea.

Under their leadership, widespread and systematic human rights violations in Crimean detention centres have been documented by the United Nations and the European Court of Human Rights. In particular, the administrative practice of ill treatment and denial of medical care to political prisoners has repeatedly occurred at the Simferopol detention centre in Crimea and has affected, among others, human rights defenders Iryna Danylovych and Amet Suleymanov.

As a consequence of today's decision, Bulgakov and Pikin are now subject to an asset freeze, and the provision of funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly, to them or for their benefit, is prohibited. Additionally, a travel ban to the EU applies to them.

Since the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation in 2014, the human rights situation in the Crimean peninsula has significantly deteriorated. Residents of the peninsula face systematic restrictions on their fundamental freedoms, and serious human rights violations occur in Crimean detention centres, including torture or cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of detainees.

The EU does not recognise and continues to condemn the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation as a violation of international law.

The relevant legal acts have been published in the Official Journal of the EU.

Background

The EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, established on 7 December 2020, enables the EU to target individuals, entities and bodies - including state and non-state actors - responsible for, involved in or associated with serious human rights violations and abuses worldwide.

On 4 December 2023, the Council prolonged the framework for restrictive measures under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime for three years, until 8 December 2026. The listings under the regime expire and are reviewed every 12 months.

The EU follows the developments in this domain closely and, as a result, ensures that the listings are kept under constant review.