Crimean Tatars increasingly under pressure

Following the recent attack against Crimea’s power lines, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) warns about an impending escalation of the that the situation for the Crimean Tatars on the peninsula, which was annexed by Russia, and urges the OSCE to start mediating in the conflict as soon as possible. In the long run, there must be a permanent OSCE-mission in Crimea to contribute to a peaceful and just coexistence of the ethnic groups. “Now, we fear that the Crimean Tatars will be collectively punished and find themselves under even more pressure,” said Sarah Reinke, the STP’s expert on Eastern Europe, in Berlin on Monday.

Since the annexation in March 2014, the Crimean Tatars are struggling to secure their rights. They are discriminated against and oppressed by the peninsula’s pro-Russian leadership. Following the annexation, many Crimean Tatar critics were murdered or have disappeared without a trace, and travel bans were imposed on leading personalities. In September, the Crimean Tatars started blocking food supplies and other deliveries from Ukraine to Crimea, trying to draw attention to their situation. However, these measures were largely ignored by Western Europe. “The passivity and indifference regarding the beleaguered Crimean Tatars is one of the reasons for the escalation last weekend,” criticized Reinke. “In order to calm down the situation, there must be international support – now!"

According to the STP, the demands of the Crimean Tatars are “absolutely justified”. They are demanding the release of political prisoners, including Achtem Chijgoz, the Vice President of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis, the Crimean Tatar activists Ali Asanov and Mustafa Degermenci, and Ukrainian Maidan-volunteers such as the famous director Oleg Sentsov, Oleksandr Kolchenko, Gennady Afanasyev, Oleksy Chirniy and Oleksandr Kostenko. In addition, the travel ban that was imposed for several Crimean Tatar personalities and politicians like Mustafa Dzhemilev or Refat Chubarov must be lifted. An independent commission of inquiry should investigate the murders and disappearances of Crimean Tatars. To prevent further human rights violations on the peninsula, the Crimean Tatars are also demanding international human rights monitoring.

Header Photo: Cabinet Office via Flickr