Ukrainian Foreign Ministry demands immediate release of five arrested Crimean Tatars
The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine has voiced its protest against the searches in the homes of Crimean Tatars in Crimea on October 12 and subsequent arrests.
This is reported by the press service of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine.
“The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine voices its strong protest against the series of searches in the homes of the Crimean Tatars on October 12, 2016 by the de facto authorities of Crimea, unlawful detention and subsequent arrest of five Ukrainian citizens – the activists of the Crimean Tatar community Teymur Abdullayev, Uzeyir Abdullayev, Ayder Saledinov, Emil Dzhemadinov, and Rustem Ismailov,” the statement reads.
The Ministry notes that such actions of Russia “are the continuation of its repressive policy aimed at intimidating the population of the peninsula in order to suppress any manifestation of dissent and public resistance to the illegal occupation.”
“We are convinced that the attempts of the occupying power to hide its own arbitrariness and contempt for human rights in the guise of ‘the fight against terrorism and extremism’ have long been not deceiving for anyone,” the press service reports.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry demands the immediate release of five arrested Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians, who are illegally held in Russia.
The Ministry also called on the international partners of Ukraine to step up pressure on Russia “to stop the persecution and repression on ethnic and religious grounds in the temporarily occupied Crimea.”
Meanwhile, leader of the civil blockade of Crimea Lenur Islyamov is convinced that Ukraine does nothing to protect its citizens in the annexed Crimea.
“The mainland Ukraine is insufficiently aware of what is happening in Crimea. Ukraine is doing absolutely nothing to protect its citizens, who still reside in the annexed peninsula,” he said at the protest action near the Russian Embassy in Kyiv on Friday and called on the Government and the President of Ukraine to take measures to protect their citizens in the annexed Crimea.
