In the first half of 2020, at least 23 searches were recorded in the occupied Crimea, 13 of which were carried out in the dwellings of the Crimean Tatars. This figure is significantly lower than the number of searches in the first half of 2019. Then the CTRC recorded 73 searches. Such dynamics, according to the experts of the CTRC, is associated with the coronavirus pandemic. This is stated in the analysis of human rights violations in the occupied Crimea for the first half of 2020 by the Crimean Tatar Resource Center.
During the reporting period, most of all, Russian security officials searched the houses of Crimeans on suspicion of their involvement in the organization Hizb ut-Tahrir and Jehovah's Witnesses banned in the Russian Federation. Such searches are of a systemic nature and indicate religious persecution in Crimea. A number of other searches were related to the alleged preparation of terrorist attacks in educational institutions of Kerch, participation in the volunteer Noman Çelebicihan battalion, espionage in favor of Ukraine, incitement to hatred or enmity, etc. The largest number of searches in the reporting period, like last year, was recorded in March.
During searches, the security forces often violate the rights of the victims. In particular, during penetration into the premises, cases of damage to property were recorded, or a search was carried out in the absence of the owner, or the planting of prohibited literature took place.
Get acquainted with the analysis of human rights violations in the occupied Crimea in the first half of 2020.
Let us recall that after the occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, searches have become a regular practice on the peninsula. These actions should be regarded as intimidation of people disloyal to Russian occupation of Crimea. According to the CTRC, 86 searches were recorded in the occupied Crimea in 2019, 64 of which were carried out in the dwellings of the Crimean Tatars. This figure is almost identical to the number of searches in 2018 (92), but significantly exceeds the figure for 2017 (62).