In the first half of 2020, 52 cases of interrogations, interviews and conversations were recorded in the occupied Crimea, 21 of which were against representatives of the Crimean Tatar people. Compared to last year, the number of interrogations over the same period has decreased: from 97 to 52. 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.
Crimeans detained after the searches were interrogated and questioned – on suspicion of involvement in the organizations Hizb ut-Tahrir and Jehovah's Witnesses banned in the Russian Federation, allegedly participating in the volunteer Noman Çelebicihan battalion, on suspicion of allegedly public calls to carry out terrorist / extremist activities, preparation for participation in the activities of a terrorist organization, alleged espionage in favor of Ukraine, in the alleged illegal acquisition, storage, transportation of explosives and ammunition, etc.
A number of interrogations were carried out by Russian security officials on the administrative border with the occupied Crimea. In addition, during the reporting period, there were cases of interrogations / questioning of relatives of political prisoners, religious figures, activists of the Crimean Tatar national movement, members of regional mejlises, etc.
We remind that 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 Crimean Tatars and 48 arrests, 16 of which were against Crimean Tatars.