“The case of February 26” – a tool for the persecution of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people

On February 26, 2014, more than 15 thousand residents of Crimea expressed their support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Eleven years ago, at the initiative of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, a large-scale rally was held in Akmesdzhit (Simferopol), during which Crimean Tatars, Ukrainians and pro-Ukrainian citizens opposed the “annexation” of Crimea to the Russian Federation.

In contrast to pro-Ukrainian activists, pro-Russian people from the Russian Unity party also came to the rally. As a result, the pro-Ukrainian citizens forced the pro-Russian people out of the square and prevented the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea from making a criminal decision.

Almost a year after these events, the rf initiated criminal proceedings against some participants of the “pro-Ukrainian” rally on 26 February for organizing and participating in mass riots on 26 February 2014.

Only the participants of the “pro-Ukrainian” rally, representatives of the Crimean Tatar people, were brought to criminal responsibility. Among those detained in the “February 26” case were: the deputy chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Akhtem Chiygoz, as well as activists Ali Asanov, Mustafa Degermendzhi, Eskender Kantemirov, Talat Yunusov, Eskender Emirvaliev, Arsen Yunusov and Eskender Nebiev.

Later, the court split the “February 26 case” into two, separating Akhtem Chiygoz into a separate trial.

In December 2015, Talat Yunusov was sentenced to 3.5 years suspended sentence and Eskender Nebiev to 2 years, also suspended.

On September 11, 2017, a Russian court sentenced Akhtem Chiygoz to 8 years in a strict regime colony. On October 25, 2017, the occupants released him and handed him over to Turkey, he later came to Kyiv.
On June 19, 2018, Ali Asanov and Mustafa Dehermendzhi received 4 years and 6 months suspended sentence each, Arsen Yunusov and Eskender Kantemirov – 4 years of suspended sentence, Eskender Emirvaliev – 3 years and 6 months of suspended sentence with a probation period of 3 years each.
We emphasize that the case of February 26 is not just a case sewn with white threads, the investigation of which the occupation law enforcement agencies had no right to engage in, but also a tool for the persecution of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people and its representative body – the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people.