The UNPO welcomes the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers’ decision urging Russia to immediately release all Ukrainian political prisoners, cease grave human rights violations, and end the persecution of ethnic minorities, particularly Crimean Tatars, in Crimea.
The Committee strongly condemned Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its ongoing violations of the European Convention on Human Rights. Russia has been found responsible for arbitrary detentions, ill-treatment, forced disappearances, and the systemic persecution of Crimean Tatars, ethnic Ukrainians, and journalists.
The Committee of Ministers called for Russia to:
- Immediately release all Ukrainian political prisoners and ensure their return to Ukrainian jurisdiction.
- Halt all forms of ethnic persecution, particularly against Crimean Tatars, and provide access to education in Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar languages.
- Allow international bodies to monitor detainees’ conditions and ensure their safe return to Ukraine.
- End the ban on the Mejlis, the Crimean Tatars’ representative body, and cease expropriation of property and forced assimilation practices.
As a founding member of UNPO since 1991, the Crimean Tatars have long been advocates for their right to self-determination and the preservation of their unique ethnic, cultural, and linguistic identity. Since Russia’s annexation of Crimea, Crimean Tatars advocating for the opening of the debate on Crimea’s status have been wrongly designated as terrorists by the Russian government. Their political representation was silenced when Russia banned the Mejlis, the Crimean Tatars’ representative body, further marginalizing their voices.
For the Crimean Tatar, the right to self-determination is about more than just politics, it’s about the ability of a people to shape their own future, protect their language and culture, and live without fear of repression. The international community has a responsibility to defend this right, not just as a principle, but as a necessary step to ensure they are heard, protected, and able to determine their own path.
UNPO stands in full solidarity with the Crimean Tatars in their struggle for justice, self-determination, and the preservation of their heritage. We call on the international community to hold Russia accountable for its violations and ensure the full implementation of the Committee’s judgment. This decision marks a crucial step toward ending ethnic persecution in Crimea and securing the release of all political prisoners unjustly detained. We welcome the Committee’s statement and urge further action to bring justice and accountability to the Crimean Tatars and all those affected by Russia’s unlawful occupation.
