Scientist in Crimea fired from his job for refusing Russian citizenship – human rights activists

Candidate of Biological Sciences from Yalta, Crimea, Guriy Kornilyev has stated he was fired from his job on August 8 after he had refused Russian citizenship.

This is reported by the Crimean Human Rights Group with reference to Crimean resident himself.

Kornilyev told human rights activists that he did not agree with the actions of the Russian Federation in Crimea, and in March 2014 had written a refusal to obtain a Russian passport. The senior management of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden warned the scientist several times that he should withdraw his refusal, and then, two years later, he was fired from his job. The CHRG has a copy of Kornilyev’s employment record book.

As indicated in the book, the Crimean resident was fired due to staff reduction. To fire him, the management of the Botanical Garden reduced the position of a research officer, which had been previously held by Kornilyev.