House searches and arrests in Crimea

Since yesterday, there are houses searches going on in several places in Crimea – houses of Crimean Tatars, specifically. 12 people have been arrested, and the local police and security forces are still carrying out searches. This morning, the house of the Crimean Tatar Eldar Semljajew in Simferopol was searched, and he himself was arrested. His whereabouts are unknown.

The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) has asked the Chairman of the European Parliament, the members of the Human Rights Committee, and the parliamentary party leaders to demand the prisoners to be released – quickly and unbureaucratically – and to try and stop the illegal raids. On February 4, 2016, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in Crimea. Noting that this step was long overdue, the STP now demands the MEPs to take action. They should condemn the arrests and house searches – and demand explanations from the responsible authorities in Crimea and in Moscow.

The following persons were affected by the house searches, with were carried out aggressively and brutally, in several places in Crimea:

1. Muslim Aliev, Bolshaya Alushta: search and arrest

2. Enver Bekirov, Bolshaya Yalta: search and arrest

3. Shamil Uljasov, Bolshaya Yalta: search and arrest

4. Emir-Usein Kuku, Yalta: search and arrest

5. Nariman Mamedinov, Bachtschisaray: search and arrest, released

6. Damir Minadirov, Yalta: search and arrest

7. Rustem Ostmanov: search and arrest, released

8. Vadim Siruk, Yalta: search and arrest

9. Bakhtiyar Topuz, Yalta: search and arrest

10. Arsen Chalilov, Bachtschisaray: search and arrest

11. Moskovskie (father and son), Bachtschisaray: search and arrest

Today, four of them are apparently still detained – including the human rights activist Emir-Usein Kuku. The Society for Threatened Peoples calls for an immediate end to the house searches and demands the prisoners to be released.