IDEE Condemns Forced Exile of Crimean Tatar Leaders
For Release: October 25, 2017
Contacts: Eric Chenoweth and Irena Lasota
Press Release
IDEE Condemns Forced Exile of Crimean Tatar Leaders
The Institute for Democracy in Eastern Europe (IDEE) welcomes the release from prison and house arrest of Akhtem Chiygoz and Ilmi Umerov, the two deputy chairmen of the Crimean Tatar national assembly, the Mejlis. IDEE equally and strongly protests their forcible expulsion from Crimea. Their unwanted exile is a further violation of human rights by the Russian government — part of a systematic campaign of persecution of Crimean Tatars since its illegal occupation of Crimea in March 2014. […]