A travel ban, to enter Russian territory, has been imposed on
the Ukrainian MP and a former head of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis, Mustafa
Dzhemilev. Russia denies this calling the document that Dzhemilev was given at
the border ‘just a piece of paper.’ However this ‘paper’ clearly states, ‘ “Mustafa
Dzhemilev ... citizen of Ukraine” was barred entry to Russia on the basis of
federal law for five years or until April 19, 2019.’
Dzhemilv says he intends to continue his travels
to Crimea. Meanwhile, the incumbent Crimean Prime Minister, Sergey Aksyonov,
has accused Dzhemilev of attempting to organize provocations in the Republic
aimed at sparking inter-ethnic conflicts.
Mustafa Dzhemilev (Mustafa Abdülcemil Cemilev), 71 years old, is a Soviet political prisoner, human
rights activist and until recently the Chairman of the Mejlis (replaced by Refat Chubarov in Nov
2013). The Mejilis is the highest representative executive body of the Crimean Tatar Peoples
operating during the period between sessions of the qurultay (national congress).
Dzhemilev grew up in exile in Uzbekistan. In 1989 he became
the leader of the newly formed Crimean Tatar National Movement. Dzhemilev has
been a member of Ukrainian Parliament, Verkhovna Rada, since 1998 (as a member
of the Batkivshchyna party). Currently, he is still recognised by many as the
informal leader of the Crimean Tatars.
In 1970, when Dzhemilev was on trial in the Soviet
Union, along with Moscow human rights defenders General Pyotr Grigorenko and the poet Ilya Gabay, he stated:
“Whatever repressions and persecutions I have
been subject to, I can firmly say that no one, never, under any
circumstances, will be able to force me to give up the duties imposed by
honor, dignity and national civic duty.”
In 1974, he was again imprisoned. In 1976, still imprisoned
on vague charges – slander against the Soviet Union - Jemilev went on a hunger
strike for 303 days, but he survived due to forced feeding.
The Crimean Tatar National Movement, and Dzhemilev as their
leader, has maintained a commitment to non-violence. His movement had two main objectives:
1. to return Crimean Tatars to their
homeland and
2.
to regain the autonomy Crimea had before 1945.
After Dzhemilev’s release in 1986,
from a hard labor prison camp, he ensured that he and 250,000 other Crimean
Tatars were able to return to their ancestral homeland.
*
According to Amnesty International, Kyiv Post and Ukrainska Pravda, 16 journalists and
officials have been reported as unlawfully detained and are being used as
“bargaining chips” by a separatist armed group. The list of detained includes
the former elected mayor of Slovyansk (Shepta) and the Slovyansk’s police chief
(Oleg Prokhorov).
A photojournalist, Yevhen Halych, has
disappeared. Halych had received a travel grant to cover events in Eastern
Ukraine and was on assignment for the Ivano-Frankivsk newspaper Reporter.
Furthermore, Irma Krat, a former leader of the
EuroMaidan and editor of Ukraine’s Hidden Truth TV, continues to be held
hostage by the separatists.
Ponomariov, the self-proclaimed mayor of Slovyansk, has
threatened to shoot people who help Ukrainian troops. This announcement comes after
the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) has seen people distributing leaflets that
call on ordinary civilians not to leave their homes, not to fall for
provocations and not follow the criminal orders of Ponomariov’s criminal regime.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister, Lavrov, claimed today
that the US is ‘running the show’ in Ukraine.
Pro-Ukraine rallies continue to be held in Mariupol, Luhansk
and Kharkiv.
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