in the Media, organized by the National Aviation University.
During her speech, Tetiana Podvorniak spoke about the situation of the Crimean Tatar media in the occupied Crimea, about the development of civil journalism and about the persecution and repression against representatives of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people.
“In the context of the long-term occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, which began in 2014, the problem of freedom of speech on the peninsula is becoming increasingly relevant. The Russian Federation is increasing pressure on the media of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people, which has led to their almost complete liquidation. In modern realities, the development of civil Crimean Tatar journalism continues, which requires a more detailed study”,- Podvorniak emphasized.
So far, 15 Crimean journalists have paid for their position and are now in the dungeons of the FSB.
“15 Crimean journalists paid for their position and are now in the dungeons of the FSB, of which 12 are civilian journalists: Server Mustafayev, Timur Ibrahimov, Marlen Asanov, Seyran Saliiev, Remzi Bekirov, Ruslan Suleymanov, Osman Arifmemetov, Rustem Sheykhaliev, Amet Suleymanov, Riza Izetov, Emir-Usein Kuku, Nariman Dzhelyalov. The occupiers have already passed sentences ranging from 13 to 19 years in a strict regime”,- she added.
Tetyana Podvorniak stressed that it is the work of Crimean Tatar activists that is the mechanism for recording human rights violations on the peninsula and reporting this information to the international community.
“When the de-occupation takes place, a number of people will be able to be held accountable for the crimes committed precisely thanks to the work of citizen journalists. Indeed, in order for the Ukrainian state and international organizations to be able to record human rights violations in the occupied Crimea, facts are needed that are provided by civilian Crimean Tatar journalists, given the complete absence of independent media on the peninsula”,- she explained.