Eskender Bariiev delivered a lecture on informational resistance to the occupation of Crimea for students of Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University

Chairman of the Board of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, member of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Eskender Bariiev delivered a lecture for students of the Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University “Crimea. Informational Resistance to Occupation.”

The event was joined by more than 100 students who were able to receive detailed information about the history of the occupation of Crimea, the current situation on the peninsula, and about the activities, advocacy campaigns and long-term projects implemented by the CTRC to disseminate truthful information about violations of human rights and indigenous peoples of Ukraine, about military, economic and environmental crimes of the occupants on the territory of Crimea.

In particular, the Chairman of the Board of the CTRC during his speech told about:

The diagram “Victims of the occupation of Crimea” developed by the CTRC – visual statistics on the number of political prisoners and those prosecuted in criminal cases, killed and missing during the occupation of the peninsula.
Trends of human rights violations and war crimes in the occupied Crimea and the newly occupied territories of Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions: detention, abductions, torture, searches, arrests, violation of the right to health, fair trial, deportation, fines, military exercises etc.

International civil society movement for the deoccupation of Crimea and solidarity with the Crimean Tatar people #LIBERATECRIMEA as non-violent and creative resistance to the occupation.
“The deoccupation of Crimea cannot happen without the support of partners and allies. In order for them to systematically help Ukraine, it is necessary to actively work with public opinion in their countries. Recent events in relations between Ukraine and the United States clearly demonstrate this. That is why it is important that both in the rhetoric of politicians and in the positions of citizens there is clear support for the restoration of territorial integrity of Ukraine, preservation of sovereignty and deoccupation of Crimea,” – he emphasized.

Eskender Bariiev spoke about the #LIBERATECRIMEA information campaign aimed at raising awareness of the Ukrainian and international communities about the situation in the occupied Crimea and the indigenous peoples of Ukraine. He explained that this campaign is timed to coincide with memorable dates and events related to Crimea:

February 26 – Day of Resistance to the Occupation of Crimea;
May 18 – Day of Remembrance of the Victims of  Genocide of the Crimean Tatar People;
June 26 – Day of the Crimean Tatar National Flag;
August 9 – Day of Indigenous Peoples of the World;
December 10 – Human Rights Day.

“We tell about the importance of restoring Crimea’s historical toponymy, illegal mobilization into the Russian army and the future of the peninsula, and for us a strategic approach in these issues is extremely important. Back in 2016, the CTRC developed its own strategy, which covers two key periods – before the deoccupation and after it, i.e. the reintegration of Crimea.”

The Crimean Tatar Resource Center sincerely thanks the students of Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University for their active participation, interesting questions and indifference to the topic of the occupation of Crimea. We were glad to share our experience and will continue to work together to protect human rights and restore justice.