Human rights activists ask Erdoğan to save Crimean Tatar political prisoners from Russia

Human rights organisations call on the world to prevent the deportation of illegally convicted Crimean Tatars to the territory of the Russian Federation, and on Russia to immediately release Ukrainian citizens detained for political reasons by the occupation administration in Crimea.

Source: open statement of human rights defenders regarding the illegal conviction and threat of deportation of Nariman Dzhelialov and the Akhtemov brothers, published by Zmina

Quote: "In particular, we appeal to the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, with a request:

Prevent possible deportation to the territory of the Russian Federation and facilitate the release of illegally imprisoned citizens of Ukraine, Crimean Tatars Nariman Dzhelialov, Asan Akhtemov and Aziz Akhtemov.

For many years, the Republic of Türkiye has steadfastly supported the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and also showed concern towards the fate of political prisoners, in particular the Crimean Tatars illegally deprived of freedom. "

Details: Human rights defenders also appeal to international and intergovernmental organisations, governments and heads of foreign partner states of Ukraine with a request:

• to promote the establishment and strengthening of mechanisms and platforms for negotiations on preventing illegal deportation to the Russian Federation and the release of all those illegally deprived of freedom held in the occupied Crimea;
• to introduce personal sanctions against persons involved in politically motivated prosecution and imprisonment of citizens of Ukraine illegally deprived of freedom;
• continue and strengthen political, diplomatic and economic pressure on the Russian Federation to stop the criminal policy of illegal deprivation of liberty, the practice of torture, deprivation of the right to a fair trial and deportation of Ukrainian citizens from the territory of Crimea to the Russian Federation.

According to available information, the occupation administrations of the Russian Federation have real intentions to transfer [virtually deport] Nariman Dzhelialov and the Akhtemov brothers to the Russian Federation.

The Russian Federation regularly deports Ukrainian prisoners from Crimea to the Russian Federation in order to eventually neutralise and complicate any communication with their relatives, the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar community. Among other things, in this way the Russian Federation is trying to psychologically suppress those held in custody, as per "tradition" of the totalitarian regime of the USSR.

Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, Nariman Dzhelialov, and brothers Aziz Akhtemov and Asan Akhtemov have so far been behind bars for two years in the occupied Crimea.

Dzhelialov and the Akhtemov brothers were arrested in September 2021, and in September next year the occupation court sentenced Nariman Dzhelialov to 17 years in prison in a maximum security colony, Asan Akhtemov to 15 years in prison, and Aziz Akhtemov to 13 years in prison. This was their payment for their ethnic identity, indestructible spirit of freedom and consistent civil position of rejection of the occupation.

The formal reason for the conviction was the so-called case of "sabotage on a gas pipeline", but the prosecution did not provide any real evidence of involvement of Dzhelialov and Akhtemov brothers in such a "sabotage".

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