Report shows Russian violation of Crimean Tatars' rights

ANKARA

A report by an unofficial Turkish delegation lays bare the grave human rights violations against Crimean Tatars ever since Russian annexation of the peninsula began in March 2014.

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The report titled "The Situation of Crimean Tatars since the Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation" was prepared by the Turkish delegation that conducted an on-the-spot study in Kiev and Crimea between April 26-30, 2015 to gather information about allegations of human rights violations against Crimean Tatars.

It aims to inspect and evaluate the claims over human rights violations against Crimean Tatars following the referendum held in the peninsula on March 16, 2014 and the annexation by Russian on March 18, 2014.

It serves as an analysis of the delegation's talks with the leading figures in the Majlis of the Crimean Tatar People (or the Crimean Tatar Peoples’ Assembly in Kiev), and also with the de facto Crimean authorities, de facto Crimean Ombudsperson, representatives of the Majlis, the Office of the Mufti of Crimea, media organizations and their members, educational institutions and the members of the Crimean Tatar community. 

As the report highlights, the de facto government period has intensified the repression on the Crimean Tatars as the government pursued a policy of isolation and discrediting prominent figures of the Crimean Tatar community and the members of the Majlis, raiding their homes and systematically calling them in for questioning.

It also reveals a serious decline in the exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms after the annexation, like the right to assembly and demonstration as well as the freedom of expression.

"The de facto authorities pursued a systematic policy of suppression and intimidation. Investigations were initiated into unsolved murders and disappearances, but none of them were concluded," it says.

The report also mentions retrospective prosecutions that were launched related to the incidents taking place before the annexation, observing that the Russian laws on extremism, separatism, and terrorism were used after March 18, 2014 by the de facto government as a way to subdue all parties opposed to them in Crimea, especially the Crimean Tatars.

It indicates that extremism and inciting people to mass disobedience were the main allegations against prominent Crimean Tatar figures, adding that Crimean Tatar leaders such as Mustafa Kirimoglu (Dzemilev), Server Kadirov and Refat Cubarov and Ismet Yuksel were therefore banned for five years from entering Crimea.

Based on these accusations, the prominent Crimean Tatar figures have been subjected to systematic and arbitrary interrogation and arrests, with a prominent example of the arrest of Ahtem Ciygoz -- Deputy Chairman of the Majlis of the Crimean Tatar people.

The report says he has been facing trial since January 29, 2015 under detention and reveals important findings showing that the preparation of indictments have been delayed and fair trial procedures violated in this and other similar cases of detentions.

It also notes that pressure on Crimean Tatar media outlets continue with bans on some media executives entering Crimea, continuous summons to testify, raids and long searches in the broadcasting centers, or the non-renewal of broadcasting licenses.

"It is understood that the purpose of not granting the broadcasting licenses was to force the channel owners to sell ATR, the Crimean Tatar Television channel which enjoys high ratings, to the persons who did not dissent. In addition, the assets of the Crimea Foundation–a relief organization–were confiscated and all of its activities were suspended," it says.

The delegation further found out that the means of communications such as telephones, e-mail and Facebook are also being monitored by the de facto government, and even charges or inquiries are filed based on information extracted from these sources.

"For example, Usein Kuku, the Yalta Regional Representative of Human Rights Contact Group, was interrogated for one of his Facebook postings dating back to 2013," it adds.

The information obtained by the unofficial delegation during the talks indicate that a majority of the Crimean Tatars had acquired the citizenship of the Russian Federation, which was required in order to benefit from public services.

They also found that those who did not accept Russian citizenship (not only Crimean Tatars but all people living in Crimea) could not benefit from any citizenship rights.

"Refusal of Russian citizenship would result in not being able to benefit from the following: pension, protection of property rights, medical and educational services, employment in public institutions," says the report.

It reveals that those applying for a job or those already employed in state institutions are required to hand over their Ukrainian passports, along with a restriction of freedom of travel of persons who are not citizens of the Russian Federation.

The report says the delegation perceives the Self-Defense Units, which were granted official status on June 11, 2014 by the de facto Crimean authorities, as one of the most important threats to the right to life.

The interviewed Crimean Tatars confirmed that these armed paramilitary forces which were active during the invasion and annexation periods, were important actors in human rights violations following the annexation, as claimed internationally.

"Crimean Tatars stated that these units conduct searches, make arbitrary ID checks and use psychological and physical violence. The Self-Defense units were indicated as being responsible for deaths, losses, beatings and torture incidents," it says.

The report also says some of the Crimean Tatars’ homes, mosques and madrasahs (Muslim theological school) were raided, supplies in homes were destroyed and some properties seized.

"Although the Crimean Tatar language is accepted as an official language along with Russian and Ukrainian, there are no indications showing that this positive step is put into practice. It was also seen that Crimean Tatar language does not receive equal treatment in the field of education," the report adds.

The delegation also found out that Crimean Tatars are not allowed to commemorate their main dates and national holidays in the traditional way.

"During the visit to Crimea, the delegation noticed that feelings of fear, uncertainty and mistrust prevail among Crimean Tatars," it says.

The delegation members also observed that almost all the Crimean Tatars abstained from speaking in front of the members of de facto Crimean Authorities.

The delegation members who had contacts outside of the official program noted that the Crimean Tatars who talked to them were concerned about themselves or their relatives being harmed after these interviews. 

The report deems it as apparent from the interviews that economic problems are not their primary concern but the protection of their national identity.