Zelenskyy pleads for Muslim nations to lead efforts in freeing Crimean Tatars and other political prisoners illegally detained by Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urges Muslim countries to help free Crimean political prisoners.
On September 11, 2024, at the Fourth Summit of the Crimea Platform, Zelenskyy highlighted the challenges in freeing political prisoners, including Crimean Tatars.
“We exchange POWs because, as for, POWs can be exchanged for other POWs. Russia illegally detains them, along with other political prisoners, journalists, artists, and film directors – people who simply speak the truth. They believe in freedom and fought with their words, truth, and art. That’s why bringing them back home is difficult,” Zelenskyy explained.
He emphasised the need for pressure on Russia from all partners to establish a proper exchange system based on the principle of “everyone for everyone.” Zelenskyy pointed out that, based on previous experience, releasing political prisoners has been extremely challenging.
Volodymyr ZelenskyyUkraine already collaborates with partners like the UAE, Qatar, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan, but more Muslim countries need to join these efforts, Ukrainian president said.
Please show your leadership and help counter the injustice and tortures. We need you to be heard. We really need your voices," Zelenkyy added.
He noted that since the onset of the Russia’s full-scale invasion in Ukraine, only the deputy head of the Mejlis of Crimean Tatar people Nariman Dzhelyal has been freed from Russian prison.
“Russian occupiers held him for almost three years in jail. But Ukraine didn’t forget him, other political prisoners, and POWs. We brought him back to Ukraine. […] This reflects our state’s fundamental policy on Crimea and other temporarily occupied territories, and on all Ukrainian citizens whom Russia has deprived of freedom. We will never leave them in jail. I want all our citizens in Ukraine and in the temporarily occupied territories to hear this, however complicated your situation is. It’s part of our moral code. Ukraine doesn’t bargain with its lands and doesn’t leave its people,” the president stated.
As of September 9, 2024, Russia has illegally imprisoned 219 people, including 133 Crimean Tatars. Of the total, 43 are under arrest (28 of them Crimean Tatars), 151 are imprisoned (97 of them Crimean Tatars), and 26 are without status (6 of them Crimean Tatars).
According to the Crimean Childhood grassroots initiative, at least 255 children in occupied Crimea are forced to grow up without their fathers. Furthermore, 15 children were born while their fathers were under arrest or imprisoned
During the Summit, Dzhelyal reminded foreign participants of the Crimean Platform in Kyiv that from the first days of Russia’s temporary occupation of the Crimean Peninsula, Crimean Tatars have been the most consolidated in their support of Ukraine’s independence. Since then, they have faced brutal oppression from the Russian occupation forces and government.
He expressed confidence that liberating Crimea is necessary to stop Russia’s oppressive policy against the Crimean Tatars and other ethnic groups.
Additionally, Dzhelyal is convinced that the liberation and reintegration of Crimea should occur alongside the restoration of rights, including political rights, for the Crimean Tatars. Liberating Crimea must guarantee free and unimpeded development for the Crimean Tatars and proper protection of rights and freedoms for Ukrainian nationals.
At the Summit, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of the Republic of Türkiye affirmed that ensuring the security and well-being of the Crimean Tatars, the Indigenous People of Ukraine, remains a top priority in Turkish foreign policy.
He emphasised the right of Crimean Tatars to live freely, securely, and peacefully in their homeland. Erdoğan recalled the release of Nariman Dzhelyal in June after almost three years of imprisonment and expressed hope for the swift release of all illegally detained persons, including brothers Asan and Aziz Akhtemov.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda underlined that Russia’s colonial policy in Crimea involves severe restrictions on the rights of local residents, including the Indigenous People of Ukraine – the Crimean Tatars. He pointed out that Russia persecutes dissenting voices, expropriates property of civilians and local businesses, the Ukrainian state, constrains independent organizations, and forces conscription into the Russian army.
“Russia and its accomplices must be held accountable for the many human rights abuses in the occupied territories as well as for the genocidal war crimes and the very crime of aggression. For this, we urgently need a special international tribunal. I would like to thank the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for doing a tremendous job monitoring and reporting human rights violations in Crimea”, he said and expressed belief that many international organisations, including the United Nations and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, should be more outspoken about Russia’s illegal occupation and human rights abuses in Crimea.
Lithuania calls on Russia to immediately release all Ukrainian citizens from the captivity and leave temporarily occupied territories, including:
- Iryna Danylovych;
- Bohdan Ziza;
- Enver Krosh;
- Vilen Temiryanov;
- Emir Huseyn Kuku;
- Halina Dovhopola;
- Server Mustafaev;
- Vladislav Yesypenko.
President Zelenskyy stressed the necessity “to counter the evil that Russia commits against the Crimean Tatar people” and called for others to join the approximately 100 countries working to implement the Peace formula.
“Convince and persuade your partners who have so far refrained from working with us. Please, convince them that real peace should not have any alternatives, any frozen occupations, any people left or abandoned in captivity, any forgotten and seemingly forgiven repressions,” he said, adding that Ukraine is currently fighting for international law and the security of all people.
The Crimea Platform is an international advisory and coordination mechanism initiated by Ukraine’s President, aiming to de-occupy the Crimean Peninsula. The activities of the international platform, particularly the Crimea Platform Office, aim to improve the effectiveness of the global response to the occupation of Crimea, increase international pressure on the Kremlin, prevent further human rights violations, and protect the victims of the occupation regime.
The parliamentary dimension of the Crimean Platform aims to raise awareness among world leaders and the general public about Russia’s occupation of Crimea, human rights violations, the security situation in the Black Sea region, global food security, and the rules-based international order.
The Crimea Platform reminds and asserts that Russia’s occupation of Crimea began the Russian invasion of Ukraine 11 years ago, and only with the de-occupation and reintegration of Crimea can the war end.
This year, the summit brought together more than 60 representatives from different countries and international organizations to discuss the problems in occupied Crimea and accelerate the de-occupation of the peninsula.
The geographic diversity of participating countries and international organizations has expanded this year. For the first time, Argentina, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, and the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance participated in the governmental format of the Crimea Platform.
On October 30, 2024, Latvia will host the Third Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimean Platform.
