The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expressed strong protest against another wave of illegal politically motivated searches and detentions in the temporarily occupied Crimea carried out by the Russian occupation authorities.
According to Ukrinform, this is reported by the MFA press-service.
The MFA noted that, according to available information, on the night of February 17, searches were conducted in the homes of Crimeans Abdulbori Makhamadaminov, Azamat Eyupova, Timur Yalkabov, Ernest Ibragimov, Oleg Fedorov, Lenur Seidametov and Yashar Shikhametov. Among these individuals are activists of the "Crimean Solidarity" and the project for children of political prisoners "Crimean Childhood", which clearly indicates the politically motivated nature of the actions of the occupation authorities of the peninsula.
"These actions once again demonstrate Moscow's complete disregard for the fundamental norms of international humanitarian law, its obligations as an occupying state, its readiness to use illegal methods of force to suppress political and religious dissent and block human rights activities in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territory," said First Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Emine Dzhaparova.
The MFA once again reminded Russia of its obligations to faithfully fulfill its international legal obligations, in particular as an occupying state, and to put an end to political repression against the population of the temporarily occupied territories.
"Information on the illegal activities of the Russian Federation in the temporarily occupied territories, in particular on the mentioned cases of illegal searches and detentions, will be submitted by Ukraine on February 23, 2021, for consideration by the UN General Assembly during the debate on the agenda item "Situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine"," the MFA said.
Ukrainian diplomats call on international partners to give a proper assessment of the illegal actions of the Russian Federation in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
As reported previously, in the morning of February 17, mass searches in the households of Crimean Solidarity activists took place in the Russian-occupied Crimea. From 4:00 am, mass searches have been conducted in Belogorsk, Bakhchisarai, Simferopol, Sevastopol and the Sovetsky District of the peninsula.
Six detainees are reported. According to the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Lyudmila Denisova, they are charged with participating in the Hizb ut-Tahrir organization, which is recognized as a terrorist organization in Russia.