On Wednesday, October 23, at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center, the Crimean Tatar Resource Center and the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people presented the results and analysis of human rights violations in Crimea for 9 months of 2019. According to the report, over the span of nine months, there were calculated 80 searches, 126 detentions, 169 interrogations, 282 arrests, including 213 cases of detention prolongation, 578 cases of violation of the right to due process, 90 cases of violation of the right to physical and mental health care, 69 political prisoners transported to other places. The number of human rights violations in Crimea has increased significantly compared to last year.
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The speakers of the conference included the Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Refat Chubarov, the Head of the Board of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, a member of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Eskender Bariiev and Communications Manager of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center Elvir Sagirman.
According to the report, over the span of 9 months of 2019, there were recorded 80 searches in the occupied Crimea, 62 of which were carried out in the households of Crimean Tatars. This number is almost identical to the number of searches over 9 months in 2018. During that period, there were recorded 79 searches, 68 of which in the households of Crimean Tatars. This is the evidence of systematic repression on the peninsula, in particular with regard to the indigenous people. Although in the third quarter of this year the number of searches on the peninsula decreased, the practice of searches remains unchanged.
“The new wave of searches over 9 months in 2019 targets Crimean Tatar and pro-Ukrainian activists. Most searches are politically and religiously motivated. Most of the unlawful actions of the Russian security forces concern Crimeans, who are allegedly affiliated with organizations banned in the Russian Federation – Hizb ut-Tahrir and Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as with allegedly “illegal armed groups”. Thus, the occupation authorities are trying to discredit the Crimean Tatar people in the eyes of the Russian and international public, presenting them as “terrorists” and “extremists”. Besides, during this period, there were recorded searches in mosques, in the cells of political prisoners, and in the households Mejlis members,” said Eskender Bariiev.
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Over the period of 9 months in 2019, 126 cases of detentions were recorded in the occupied Crimea, 113 of which targeted representatives of the Crimean Tatar people. The number of detentions for this period significantly exceeds the figure for 9 months of 2018. Back then, 91 cases were recorded, 65 of which were in relation to the Crimean Tatars. Moreover, the number of detentions in the III quarter exceeds the figures for II and I, 57, 17 and 52 cases, respectively.
“In Crimea, there is a tendency to detain right after searches, on suspicion of involvement in the Hizb ut-Tahrir organization, which is banned in the Russian Federation. It was most pronounced in March and June. One of the distinguishing features of this period is the mass detention of Crimean Tatars at protests in Moscow. On July 10-11, 53 activists were detained on Red Square and near the building of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, and were subsequently charged with an administrative fine,” said the Head of the Board of the CTRC.
He added that during this period, there were also detentions on suspicion of participating in the Noman Çelebicihan battalion, the Jehovah's Witnesses and Hizb ut-Tahrir organizations that are banned in the Russian Federation, on suspicion of calls for extremist activity, as well as for alleged demonstration of forbidden symbols. A number of detentions were recorded on the administrative border with the occupied Crimea.
For 9 months of 2019, 169 cases of interrogations and “conversations” were recorded in the occupied Crimea, 115 of which were related to the representatives of the Crimean Tatar people. The number of interrogations for this period, as well as the number of detentions, significantly exceeds the figure for 9 months of 2018. Back then, 111 cases of violations were recorded, 79 of which were related to Crimean Tatars. The number of detentions in the III quarter exceeds the figures for II and I – 72, 36 and 61, respectively.
“Most of the interrogations and “conversations” were carried out after illegal detentions. The maximum number of such activities were recorded in March and July – 40 and 55, respectively – the months when the largest number of searches and detentions was carried out”, Mejlis member emphasized.
For the 9 months of 2019, 282 cases of arrest were recorded in the occupied Crimea, 196 of which were against indigenous people. Of the 282 cases, 69 are new arrests, including court rulings, 213 cases are detention prolongation.
“This figure is twice as high as the number of arrests for 9 months of 2018. Back then, 138 cases were recorded, 107 of which were in relation to the Crimean Tatars. The indicators for the I, II and III quarters are 97, 103 and 82 cases, respectively. During this period, 25 people were charged with criminal “case”. 38 people (two in absentia) were taken into custody. In addition, detention terms were extended in relation to all political prisoners who are under “investigation” in the occupied Crimea and on the territory of the Russian Federation,” said Elvir Sagirman.
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He relates this tendency to the violation of the right to due process.
According to the report for 9 months of 2019, there were recorded 578 cases of violation of the right to due process, 408 of which targeted the Crimean Tatars. In the first quarter, 171 cases were recorded, in the second quarter – 210, in the third – 197. Compared to the same period of 2018, the number of violations of the right to due process has increased significantly – from 355 to 578. The CTRC report notes that this is explained by the increase in the number of detained and arrested people on the peninsula, and as a result, by the increase in the number of political prisoners.
“One of the salient features of this period is a large number of financial fines. Only in July, 19 such cases were registered: 18 Crimean Tatars detained on July 11 under the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation were charged with administrative fines of 20 thousand rubles. Another Crimean Tatar activist was charged with a fine of 1,500 rubles for posting a video on the VKontakte social network back in 2013. In August, another 16 people who were detained on July 11 under the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation were charged with an administrative fine of 10 to 15 thousand rubles. The same month, a local activist was fined 20,000 rubles in Crimea for allegedly trying to hold a rally “Meganom SOS” demanding to stop the development of Cape Meganom, ” Communications Manager of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center noted.
During the reported period, the CTRC recorded 90 cases of violation of the right to physical and mental health care, 45 of which were in relation to the representatives of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people. This indicator is more than twice higher the figure for the same period last year. Back then, there were 40 cases of such violations. The indicators for the I, II and III quarters are 32, 36 and 22 cases, respectively.
Elvir Sagirman emphasized that this violation was explained by the failure to provide adequate medical care in places of detention, which resulted in deterioration of the health of political prisoners in Crimea. According to him, this also includes cases of forced psychiatric examination.
According to Escender Bariiev, for 9 months of 2019, 69 cases of illegal transportation of political prisoners were recorded, 64 of which were against representatives of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people.
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Refat Chubarov, commenting on the results of the analysis, drew attention to the fact that repressions in Crimea continue regardless of changes in Ukrainian-Russian relations and negotiations at different levels of world politics.
“The figures we heard indicate that neither Ukraine as a state, nor international partners have any effective mechanism of pressure on the aggressor country to minimize repression against Ukrainian citizens in occupied Crimea. Also, these figures demonstrate an ostentatious attack on the Crimean Tatar people. Russia pursues a deliberate policy to oust the indigenous people from Crimea, as well as all Ukrainians who do not agree with the occupation," he said.
The report of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center also contains information on victims and missing persons on the peninsula for 9 months of 2019, on violation of religious, educational, and cultural rights, on the destruction of the Crimean environment, harsher charges against political prisoners, unacceptable conditions of detention, illegal draft and military exercises on the peninsula, etc.
Перейти к анализу нарушений прав человека в Крыму за 9 месяцев 2019 года
Photo: УКМЦ, КРЦ