Eskender Bariiev, Head of the Board of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, Head of the Department of Legal Affairs and Foreign Affairs of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, said in an interview with the Flot 2017 media agency that the detention of Nariman Dzhelyal is a kind of response from the Russian authorities to the holding of the Crimean Platform summit.
“Nariman Dzhelyal is a socially active person. He is the first deputy chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, which, in turn, was one of the initiators of the Crimean Platform. The detention of Nariman Dzhelyal and the fabrication of a case against him is a kind of response by the Russian authorities to the holding of the founding summit, as well as a reaction to decisions that were approved by a large number of participating states”,- he said.
Bariiev believes that the occupants were preparing in advance for searches and detentions on September 3-4. In addition, the Kremlin has systematically modified the criminal legislation in order to intensify repression against our compatriots. The Russian authorities supplemented Article 280 with a second part, which dealt with the prosecution for violation of the territorial integrity of Russia.
“On the 20th of August, the FSB allegedly staged an explosion on a gas pipeline near the village of Perevalne, Simferopol district. Moreover, the so-called explosion, was so “loud” that the local residents did not even hear it. Then they opened a case under Article 281.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation – sabotage, according to which the defendants face up to 15 years in prison. Then, on September 3-4, illegal searches and detentions took place”,- he explained.
Eskender Bariiev noted that this time the Russian Federation did not specifically use political articles. They understood that if cases were initiated under “extremist” articles or for “encroachment” on the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation, then there would be a more harsh reaction from the member states of the Crimean Platform and international organizations.