Russia Holding 385 Crimean Political Prisoners, Including 113 Crimean Tatars
Russia is holding 385 Crimean political prisoners in detention facilities, according to Eskender Bariyev, head of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center and a member of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people. He said 116 are defendants in the Hizb ut-Tahrir case, nine are in the Witnesses of Jehovah case, and 20 are Crimean journalists.
Key points
- Russia is holding 385 Crimean political prisoners in places of detention.
- 113 of the prisoners are representatives of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people.
- 116 are defendants in the Hizb ut-Tahrir case.
- Nine are defendants in the Witnesses of Jehovah case.
- Twenty Crimean journalists are being held in Russian prisons.
- Eskender Bariyev presented the figures at a press conference.
Why it matters
The figures point to a substantial and continuing imprisonment of Crimean political prisoners in Russian custody. The high number of imprisoned Crimean Tatars and journalists shows the broader impact of persecution on civic representatives and media workers, while the reported use of religion as a tool of control and assimilation raises concerns about conditions in Crimea.
What happened
At a press conference, Eskender Bariyev said Russia was holding 385 Crimean political prisoners in detention facilities. Among them were 113 representatives of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people, 116 defendants in the Hizb ut-Tahrir case and nine defendants in the Witnesses of Jehovah case. Twenty Crimean journalists are also reportedly being held in Russian prisons. Bariyev said the occupying authorities continue to persecute lawyers, human rights defenders and journalists.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian coverage identifies Bariyev, the head of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, as the source of the figures and emphasizes the persecution of Crimean Tatars, lawyers, human rights defenders and journalists. The reports describe Crimea as a territory of fear where religion is used as a tool of control, repression and assimilation.
Background
Bariyev presented the figures at a press conference as head of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center and a member of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people. Alongside the total of 385 political prisoners, he said 20 Crimean journalists remain in Russian prisons.