Ukraine should investigate deportation of Crimean Tatars in 1944 – expert

Ukraine should conduct a criminal investigation into the deportation of Crimean Tatars in 1944.

Such an opinion was expressed by Borys Babyn, the head of the institution of legislation sector at the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Interfax news agency reports.

“Is it possible to conduct such an investigation in Ukraine now? Incredible as it may seem, it is possible, and, moreover, this should be done.  1949 Convention [Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide] not only gives the definition of genocide, but also obliges the signatory parties to confront genocide and investigate crimes of genocide. Therefore, according to this Convention, the investigation into deportation of the Crimean Tatar people is the direct responsibility of Ukraine,” Babyn said at the presentation of the communication campaign “All of us are Crimean Tatars on May 18.”

According to the expert, Ukraine has a “very clear legal and material component” for such an investigation.

The expert also recalled that in late 2015 the prosecutor’s office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, headquartered in Kyiv, launched the criminal proceedings over the deportation of Crimean Tatars in 1944 under the article “genocide” of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The investigation is ongoing. He noted that this was made possible after the Verkhovna Rada had made the statement on recognition of the deportation of Crimean Tatars as the crime of genocide.