Russia continues to repress Crimean Tatars

She is pursuing and prosecuting them illegally, said Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Lyudmila Denisova.

“The Central District Court of Simferopol” has ruled that Crimean Tatar Edem Bekirov is wanted. It is entrusted to “the prosecutor of the Republic of Crimea,” – Denisova speaks.

The matter is that the other day “Southern District Military Court” held a court hearing concerning Rustem Emiruseinov, Arsen Abkhairov, and Eskender Abdulganiev in the absence of lawyers. This is a gross violation of the rights to protection and a fair trial enshrined in the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights.

Emil Dzhemadenov has been in a pre-trial detention center for more than 90 days, and Teymur Abdullayev has been in prison for more than 70 days. These are flagrant violations of not only international standards for the treatment of prisoners but also Russian law. Such treatment of political prisoners is unacceptable, especially since the administration of the Russian colony does not allow lawyers to Ukrainian citizens, citing quarantine measures.

In addition, Denisova receives daily signals of violations of the rights of illegally imprisoned Crimean Tatars to receive adequate medical care. In particular, 60-year-old Servet Gaziev complains of high blood pressure and intestinal problems. Erfan Osmanov, who is being held in a psychiatric hospital, also has high blood pressure and heart problems. However, like other illegally detained Ukrainian citizens, they do not receive adequate medical care.

All this indicates that the Russian occupation authorities are looking for any excuses to continue the persecution and abuse of the Crimean Tatars. 

The purpose of such actions of the aggressor is to break the spirit of the Crimean Tatar people and all those who refuse to recognize Crimea as Russian territory. The Kremlin has in fact taken over the baton from the Soviet government and, like 76 years ago, is committing genocide against the Crimean Tatar people.

I call on the international community to keep up the pressure on the aggressor country to force it to respect the rights of our fellow citizens under the “Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners”, approved by the UN Economic and Social Council and the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. And also to cover the facts of repressions on all possible media platforms, so that the whole world could see how the Russian Federation is mocking the citizens of Ukraine who are in the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea,” the ombudswoman summed up.

Natalia Tolub