One year ago, a 44-year-old resident of Akyar (Sevastopol), Anatoliy Kobzar, was subjected to enforced disappearance. This was reported by Eskender Bariiev, Chairman of the Board of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center and a member of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people.
According to him, the man disappeared on 5 March 2024. That day, he went to work in Bakhchisaray, but did not return back home. The next day, his house was searched, but the occupation forces did not provide the family with any information.
‘People who saw the man’s detention told Anatoliy’s family that he had been detained by the FSB,’ – said the Chairman of the CTRC Board.
Two weeks after the abduction, Kobzar’s car was found in Bakhchisaray with broken windows. His phone remained switched on for some time after his disappearance – messages were received but not answered, and when his family tried to call, the device would immediately switch off.
The family believes that his pro-Ukrainian stance could have been the reason for his abduction.
‘Anatoliy Kobzar was an entrepreneur. He had his own butcher shop and was engaged in private transportation of people. It is known that he openly expressed his pro-Ukrainian position and did not support the occupation ‘authorities’ on the peninsula’, – Eskender Bariiev stressed.
According to Bariiev, Anatoliy Kobar’s family is still in obscurity.
‘Anatoliy Kobzar is the father of two children. His eldest daughter is 25 years old and his youngest son is 13. They have been living in obscurity for a year now, without any news of their father. His wife and elderly mother are doing everything possible to find out the truth, but all appeals to the occupation ‘authorities’ remain fruitless,’ – said the Chairman of the CTRC Board.
Meanwhile, Anatoliy Kobzar’s mother is in a difficult moral state and cannot accept the fact that her son disappeared in the middle of the day, and the occupation ‘authorities’ do not give any answers about his fate.
The Head of the Board of the CTRC emphasises that the occupation ‘authorities’ are responsible for Kobzar’s life.
‘This is an enforced abduction, and the occupation ‘authorities’ bear full responsibility for the man’s life,’ – said Eskender Bariiev .
Currently, the Crimean Tatar Resource Center is preparing a statement to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances and will make every effort to find Anatoliy Kobzar and bring the perpetrators to justice.