On Thursday, May 19, the Crimean Tatar Resource Center held an online security training for representatives of local councils, which was joined by 40 participants from all over Ukraine.
The online training with a welcoming speech was opened by the program coordinator Aider Seitosmanov, the chairman of the UTC NGO Valentyna Poltavets and the Head of the Board of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center Eskender Bariiev.
During the next few hours, participants could listen to lectures on the following topics:
• What to do when summoned, detained, interrogated, searched.
• Security plan as a means of protection. How to make a personal safety plan? How to make an UTC security plan?
The manager of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center Liudmyla Korotkykh legally substantiated the illegality of such actions of the occupying authorities as summons, detentions, interrogations and searches.
“According to Art. 54 IV of the Geneva Convention for the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of August 12, 1949, the occupying state is prohibited from applying sanctions, taking any coercive measures or discriminating against officials in the occupied territories”,- Korotkykh emphasized.
However, based on today's realities, when the Russian Federation still conducts illegal calls, detentions, interrogations and searches, the CTRC expert provided a clear procedure for actions in such situations.
The head of the Board of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center Eskender Bariiev informed those present about the features of the personal security plan and the UTC security plan.
According to him, the security plan is based on risks, threats, vulnerabilities and resources. The ability to correctly build these categories is the basis of human security, and now, on the basis of personal security plans, a collective plan is created.
“We understand that in conditions of occupation, when there are no mechanisms for legal and forceful protection, the level of threats is much higher than the level of resources that can ensure security. However, each head, deputy of the local council, human rights activist or activist, being in the occupied territory, must clearly and soberly assess the situation in order to provide himself with minimal protection”,- Bariiev stressed.
All participants also had the opportunity to ask questions to the speakers that concern them: about collaboration and whether there could be consequences in case of not leaving the occupied territories; on decision-making by local councils under conditions of occupation and martial law; about how to behave if the family and others are threatened.