Witness in “Chiygoz case” told who is actually behind the riots on February 26

Oleksandr Kuznetsov, Head of the Public Security Police of Crimea, gave instructions to the local “self-defense” at the Verkhovna Rada of Crimea in the morning of February 26, 2014.

As reported by Krym.Realiyi, this was stated by witness Emine Avamilyeva at the court hearing of the Kremlin-controlled Supreme Court of Crimea.

“We communicated during organization of events and other actions on May 18. We called each other about working issues”, – said Avamilyeva.

According to her, Kuznetsov and a group of other staff members of the Chief Directorate communicated with a group in camouflage gear at about 10 am on February 26, 2014. At the same time, Kuznetsov was actively pointing to one part of the square, then to another. Hence, Avamilyeva made a conclusion that their conversation was about work and did not rule out the possibility that law enforcement officers could have given some tasks to the “Crimean self-defense”.

After that, the witness indicated that she saw how these people in camouflage gear have lined up behind militia’s blockade. A few hours later, Avamilyeva had noticed that some of them behaved inadequately and they gave off an odor of alcohol.

Avamilyeva also noted that approximately at 12 am, at least five or six people with military bearings appeared at the pro-Russian rally. They hid unknown items, which resembled sticks, under their jackets. They were calm and stood among the protesters in a checkerboard pattern. They were young people aged from 30 to 40 years. The witness had a feeling that they were silently watching what was happening.

As a reminder, Ahtem Chiygoz was detained in January 2015 for participating in a rally in support of the territorial integrity of Ukraine in front of the Crimean parliament on February 26, 2014. Then protestors opposed the pro-Russian activists, including those from the Russian Unity.

Russian court is considering “Chiygoz case” as part of “February 26 case”, which on July 20, during a closed court hearing was divided into two different cases: a separate case on Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis Akhtem Chiygoz and separate case of other defendants – Ali Asanov and Mustafa Degermendzhi.

As a reminder, on April 19, the International Court of Justice agreed to introduce measures on the suit “Ukraine vs. Russia” for the protection of national minorities in the Crimea. The court ruled that there are facts of irreparable harm caused to the rights of Ukrainians.

The court ordered Russia to refrain from maintaining or imposing limitations on the ability of the Crimean Tatar community to conserve its representative institutions, including the Mejlis, as well as to ensure the availability of education in the Ukrainian language on the annexed peninsula.