Dzhemilev: Russia wants to force Crimean Tatars to leave Crimea

Russian de facto authorities in Crimea want to intimidate Crimean Tatars and force them to leave the peninsula. To that end, the security forces organize searches and detentions.

Such an opinion was expressed by Ukrainian MP, leader of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Dzhemilev, Crimea.Realities portal reports.

“The sole purpose is to intimidate, to make people keep silence. Another goal is to force Crimean Tatars to leave Crimea. They, as well as in Stalin’s time, want to see a purely ethnic Russian Crimea,” he said.

According to Dzhemilev, the criminal case, initiated by the Russian Federal Security Service against Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People Ilmi Umerov, is groundless and illegal.

“The occupying power is afraid of the Crimean Tatars so much, it does not take into account any rules and laws. The charges of calls for encroachment on the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation against Ilmi Umerov are absurd. He just expressed his point of view as a citizen of Ukraine and a son of his people. Our people have not recognized the occupation,” he said.

Dzhemilev also reminded that a number of European countries did not recognize Russian annexation of Crimea.

As reported, May 12, the Russian investigation chose a pre-trial restriction in the case of Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People Ilmi Umerov in form of a written undertaking not to leave a town.

Prior to that, the Russian security forces conducted mass searches in Bakhchisarai. Four Crimean Tatars were detained.

In late April, the so-called “Supreme Court of Crimea” recognized the Mejlis of the Crimean Tata People as the extremist organization and banned its activities in Russia.