Parliament of Ukraine (Verkhovna Rada) Commissioner for Human Rights Lyudmyla Denisova appealed to the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet over the arbitrary arrests of Crimean Tatars by Russia in occupied Crimea.
“The detention of Crimean Tatars on the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimea cannot be ignored by international human rights institutions. I appeal to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michel Bachelet (with a request) to stop the arbitrariness of the occupying country and facilitate the release of illegally imprisoned citizens of Ukraine,” Denisova wrote on Facebook.
The Ukrainian ombudsperson also said she demanded that the Russian Commissioner for Human Rights, Tatiana Moskalkova, takes measures to respect the rights of illegally detained Ukrainian citizens on the Crimean peninsula.
Людмила Денісова
Denisova listed all the cases that have been initiated by the occupation authorities against the Crimean Tatars recently:
- For 60 days, until November 4, the Russian-controlled Kyiv District Court of Simferopol arrested Nariman Dzhelyalov, the first deputy chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people and the brothers Aziz and Asan Akhtemov. They were suspected of involvement in the damage to the gas pipeline in the village of Perevalne on August 23 (part 1 of Article 281 of the Criminal Code - "sabotage"). All three will be detained in the Simferopol pre-trial detention center.
- On the decision of the so-called Kyiv District Court of Simferopol Shevket Useinov and Eldar Odamanov are sentenced to 14 and 15 days of administrative arrest, respectively, for allegedly committing administrative offenses under Article 19.3 of the Administrative Code ("disobedience to police officers"). They will remain in the Simferopol temporary detention center.
- On September 4, relatives, journalists, lawyers, and concerned citizens gathered near the FSB building in Simferopol to support the illegally detained. 58 participants were detained. Administrative reports were drawn up against 56 people under Article 20.6.1 of the Administrative Code ("failure to comply with the rules of conduct during an emergency or the threat of its occurrence"), which provides for a fine of 10 to 50 thousand Russian rubles.
Two participants of the action, namely Eskander Akhtemov (father of Aziz), and Arsen Akhtemov (Asan Akhtemov’s brother), were arrested by the court for 10 and 15 days, respectively, under Article 19.3 of the Administrative Code of Russia ("disobedience to police officers").
