The occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation became a new starting point for Eskender and Zarema Bariiev. Feeling the pressure and repression of the occupation authorities, the family found themselves hundreds of kilometers away from their homeland. But the couple did not give up for a second. With their daily work, they confidently make their way home – to their native Crimea. In our material prepared within the framework of the “Hostages of the Occupation” project, you will learn more details about human rights activities in Crimea and Kiev, about moving and motivations, about the death of Eskender Bariiev’s parents in Crimea and raising children far from their homeland.
From the first days of the occupation, Eskender Bariiev directly opposed Russian aggression and engaged in human rights activities. His apartment was searched in one of the first days of the occupation. At the same time, his active international activities began. Whenever they left Crimea, Russian border guards detained and questioned Mr. Bariiev, but afterwards he was always released. On the night of January 22-23, 2015, he left Crimea for the last time. The way back was threatened with detention and arrest.
He remains in Kyiv and continues hıs struggle in the mainland Ukraine. The motivation is clear – he, like thousands of other people forcibly expelled from homeland, wants to return back home.
“We really could not have foreseen this course of history. My children and I were forced to flee Crimea, my homeland, and my parents. It was not just difficult, it was very horrifying”, – confesses Zarema Bariieva, Eskender’s wife.
In Kyiv, Eskender has set up a non-governmental organization that has been advocating human rights in the occupied Crimea for more than four years.
“In Crimea we were not given the opportunity to work. We were monitored, constantly provoked, my household was searched. While in Kyiv, I realized that only through active human rights activities we could protect the individual rights of our citizens and the collective rights of the Crimean Tatar people. That is why in 2015 we created a human rights organization – the Crimean Tatar Resource Center”, – Eskender explains.
But life continued to test Eskender’s strength – both his mother and father passed away during his exile.
“It is very difficult to lose your loved ones and, being a few hundred kilometers away, being their only son, you cannot bury your parents”, – Eskender says with sadness.
The couple’s youngest son bears the name of Eskender’s late father, Enver.
“Our youngest son was born on March 5, 2014, when Russian tanks were coming to Crimea. My wife and I decided to name the baby after my father. Probably, I already had the feeling that I mıght soon be separated from my parents…”, – Eskender admits.
“In Kyiv, we try to do our best to ensure that our children maintain their Crimean Tatar and always seek to return back to Crimea, just as our parents raised us in places of deportation, in the faraway Uzbekistan”, – Eskender adds.
The Bariiev family believes in returning home as soon as possible and sees the future of the Crimean Tatar people and their children within European, Ukrainian rule of law framework, where all their rights will be secured. Eskender is convinced that the current position and struggle of the Crimean Tatars will contribute that his children and the future generations of the Crimean Tatars will be able to develop and prosper as a recognized and full-fledged indigenous people of Crimea.
Project manager: Zarema Bariieva
Author of pictures: Elvir Sagirman
Text writer: Elvir Sagirman
Translation into English: Zarema Bariieva
We remind that on February 26 in Kyiv, the presentation of the album and the exhibition “Hostages of the Occupation” took place, which tell us about the fate of 20 Crimean Tatar families after the annexation of the peninsula. On March 10, the exhibition opened in Vinnytsia. The exhibition is expected to be presented in Lviv and Dnipro as well.
The project was prepared by the Crimean Tatar Resource Center with the support of the Democracy Grants Program of the US Embassy to Ukraine.