Russia continues genocide against Crimean Tatars, says Mejlis
Photo: The Mejlis issued a series of appeals to the international community (Getty Images)
Russian modern policy in the occupied territory of Crimea continues the genocidal practices of the Soviet era, informs the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people.
On the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Crimean Tatar Genocide, the Mejlis emphasized that the total deportation of 1944 was a deliberate attempt to destroy the Crimean Tatar people. Furthermore, Crimean Tatars today are again facing arrests, persecution, and the destruction of their cultural identity.
Addressing the international community, the Mejlis called to:
- Recognize the 1944 deportation as an act of genocide;
- Increase sanctions pressure on Russia by using effective political, diplomatic, and economic tools;
- Support the de-occupation of Crimea, as well as the creation of a Crimean Tatar national-territorial autonomy on the peninsula.
In addition, they stated the need to legally formalize the status of the Mejlis as the official representative body of the Crimean Tatar people.
"The recognition by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, in accordance with the Law of Ukraine 'On the Indigenous Peoples of Ukraine,' of the status of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people as the representative body of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people must become an important step in ensuring the rights of the Crimean Tatar people," the statement reads.
The Mejlis also added that the Crimean Tatar people remain resilient and continue their efforts to return to their native land.
"Any attempts to legitimize the occupation of Crimea ... are support for a crime against humanity and a betrayal of the memory of the victims of the genocide," the Mejlis stressed.
