NO ‘NORMALIZATION’ WHILE RUSSIA IS STILL HOLDING AT LEAST 87 CRIMEAN TATAR AND OTHER UKRAINIAN POLITICAL PRISONERS
Halyna Coynash
September 9, 2019
While 7 September was certainly a day for rejoicing at the return to Ukraine of 35 Ukrainian political prisoners (including 24 PoWs), there was also huge sadness for the families who are still waiting the release of their fathers or sons. The fact that at least 87 Ukrainian political prisoners are still imprisoned in occupied Crimea or Russia, as well as a minimum of 227 hostages in occupied Donbas makes the upbeat noises in western media about a new page in Ukrainian-Russian relationsseem at very least premature.
Russian President Vladimir Putin clearly saw the need to organize an exchange of prisoners at this time, with a key reason probably the capture by Ukraine on 27 June of Volodymyr Tsemakh, a Donbas militant commander who can provide critically important information about the downing with a Russian BUK missile of Malaysian airliner MH17. Putin is probably also hoping for an improvement in relations with western countries in return for releasing Oleg Sentsov, Roman Sushchenko and other prominent political prisoners. This will only happen if we fail to ensure that the West knows the names of all Russia’s Crimean Tatar and other Ukrainian victims of repression and to draw attention to the mounting scale of persecution, especially of civic activists and journalists in occupied Crimea.
Russia’s conveyor belt ‘Hizb ut-Tahrir’ cases
Russia is increasingly using totally fabricated ‘terrorism’ charges as a weapon against Crimean Tatar civic activists and journalists. This form of persecution, based on charges of involvement in the peaceful Hizb ut-Tahrir movement which is legal in Ukraine, began in January 2015 and was ignored by international human rights NGOs for much too long.By now, Russia is openly using such charges to crush the Crimean Solidarity movement and to try to terrorize Crimean Tatars into silence or exile.
Other Ukrainian political prisoners
Rustem Abilev
Oleh Chaban
Yevhen Karakashev
Ihor KIyashko
Maxim Sokurenko
Renat Suleymanov
Anna Sukhonosova
Dmitry Dolgopolov
Sevastopol Four
Ruslan Zeytullaev
Ferat Saifullaev
Rustem Vaitov
Nuri Primov
Yalta Six
Emir-Usein Kuku (a human rights activist)
Muslim Aliev
Envir Bekirov
Vadim Siruk
Arsen Dzhepparov
Refat Alimov
Bakhchysarai Four
Enver Mamutov
Rustem Abiltarov
Remzi Memetov
Zevri Abseitov
Simferopol Five
Teymur Abdullaev
Uzeir Abdullaev
Emil Dzhemadenov
Aider Saledinov
Rustem Ismailov
Bakhchysarai ‘Crimean Solidarity’ arrests
Suleyman (Marlen) Asanov
Ernest Ametov
Memet Belyalov
Timur Ibragimov
Seiran Saliev
Server Zekeryaev
Server Mustafaev
Edem Smailov
March 22, 2018 Nariman Memedeminov (a civic journalist)
May 10, 2018 Enver Seytosmanov
February 14, 2019 Rustem Emiruseinov; Arsen Abkhairov; Eskender Abdulganiev
March 27, 2019 The worst ‘operation’ to date against civic activists and journalists
Izet Abdulaev
Tofik Abdulgaziev
Medzhit Abdurakhmanov
Bilyal Adilov
Enver Ametov
Fakhat Bazarov
Akim Bekirov
Dzhemil Gafarov
Servet Gaziev
Riza Izetov
Alim Karimov
Seiran Murtaza
Yashar Muyedinov
Erfan Osmanov
Seitveli Seitabdiev
Rustem Seitkhalilov
Rustem Sheikhaliev
Ruslan Suleymanov
Shaban Umerov
Asan Yanikov
June 10, June FSB “We’ll get around to shooting you all”
Aider Dzhepparov
Eldar Kantimirov
Lenur Khalilov
Ruslan Mensutov
Ruslan Nahaev
Enver Omerov
Riza Omerov
Eskender Suleymanov
Punishment for Euromaidan or for opposing Russia’s annexation of Crimea
Mykola Shypturimprisoned since March 2014
Oleksiy Chyrniy
Andriy Kolomiyets
‘Ukrainian Saboteur’ cases without any acts of sabotage or proof
Andriy Zakhtei
Dmytro Shtyblikov
Oleksiy Bessarabov
Volodymyr Dudka
Oleksiy Stohniy;
Hlib Shabliy
Hennady Lymeshko
Kostyantin Davydenko
Mystery ‘spying’
Valentin Vyhivsky Imprisoned since September 2014
Viktor Shur
Leonid Parkhomenko
Accused of membership in Ukraine of organizations which Russia demonizes for political reasons
