On Friday, December 18, the Head of the Board of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, a member of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people took part in a round table on the topic: “Persecution for political and religious reasons in the occupied territories. Ways of influence and solution of the problem.” During the discussion, he stressed that the Russian Federation continues its struggle against dissent, as well as the religious beliefs of people in the occupied Crimea. Bariiev called on to help Ukrainian political prisoners through the implementation of the campaign “MP, help the prisoners of the Kremlin”, within which our compatriots will be able to receive additional protection.
“According to the data of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, at the moment there are 218 political prisoners who are prosecuted in criminal cases, 150 of them are representatives of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people, 114 people are currently in the FSB dungeons. Some of them are already in colonies, they have been sentenced , and 59 people are in jail. 77 out of 114 are representatives of the Crimean Tatar people. 82 people are persecuted on religious grounds: 68 in the so-called Hizb ut-Tahrir case, 4 in the so-called Tablighi Jamaat case, 10 people in the so-called Jehovah's Witnesses case. The Russian Federation is very actively using these religious articles in order to persecute our citizens in the occupied Crimea”,- he said.
Speaking about the illegal actions of the occupants in Crimea, Bariiev noted that during the court sessions, the authorities actively use the practice of secret witnesses, establish illegal wiretapping, record conversations not only in the mosque, but also in houses. In addition, the occupation authorities in Crimea actively use photo and video recording of people who come to the courts, and then separately conduct polls, interviews, interrogations with these people. The FSB uses posts and comments of people on social networks that were made 6-10 years ago.
“Under the guise of fighting terrorism, the occupants are strengthening control over the population of Crimea. And in order to strengthen control over the population and content on social networks, the occupation authorities in Crimea are forcing providers to buy expensive equipment and increasing the cost of services”,- the Head of the CTRC explained.
Eskender Bariiev stressed that in accordance with the amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the occupants began to strengthen those laws that justify the actions of the Russian authorities. This policy of the Russian Federation demonstrates the fight against dissent, as well as the religious beliefs of people in Crimea. According to the expert, the Russian Federation is trying as much as possible, using national legislation, to persecute our citizens in Crimea.
“What needs to be done? We need our political prisoners to have more defenders. It is important for us that the MPs of the international level are confident that our compatriots are not terrorists”,- he explained.
For this very purpose, the International Movement for the de-occupation of Crimea and solidarity with the Crimean Tatar people #LIBERATECRIMEA within the framework of the international campaign Atalık (Godfather) launched the campaign “MP, help the prisoners of the Kremlin.” Activists call on Ukrainian parliamentarians to take patronage over Ukrainian political prisoners.
“We will inform the society about how the MPs are active in this, we are ready to cooperate with the MPs, give them full information. I want to emphasize that patronage does not mean financial assistance, but political tutelage. By combining efforts, both the MPs and relatives of political prisoners, and human rights activists, we will be able to help our fathers return to their children, husbands to their wives, and sons to their mothers”,- Bariiev summed up.