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Statement by the Spokesperson on human rights violations against and the illegal detention of Crimean Tatars by the Russian Federation

30.03.2019
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A court in the Crimean peninsula, illegally annexed from Ukraine by Russia, has ruled that all 23 Crimean Tatars detained on 27 March and 28 March will be held in pre-trial detention until 15 May. They are accused of belonging to the organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is banned in Russia but not in Ukraine. The European Union does not recognise the enforcement of Russian legislation in Crimea and Sevastopol and expects all illegally detained Ukrainians to be released without delay. The recent detentions, as well as the prior searches of their private property, constitute the latest targeting of Crimean Tatars, human rights defenders, and people who have spoken out peacefully against the illegal annexation by Russia of the Crimean peninsula. Such acts corroborate the report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, which states that “Crimean Tatars continue to be disproportionately affected by police raids and prosecuted under terrorism and extremism-related offences in proceedings falling short of human rights standards”. The European Union expects the Russian Federation to end these practices and to take all necessary steps to ensure that human rights and fundamental freedoms can be exercised by all in Crimea, without discrimination on any grounds. 

Category
Statements by the Spokesperson
Location

Bruxelles

Topics
EU information in Russian
Editorial sections
Europe and Central Asia
Russia
Eastern Europe
Ukraine
EEAS
EU information in Russian