VIDEO
EXCLUSIVE
It has been seven years since Russian forces illegally annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. In Russian-occupied Crimea, Crimea’s indigenous people, the Muslim Crimean Tatars, have faced constant pressure and persecution by Russian forces.
Russian forces that now control the peninsula have targeted Crimean Tatars who speak out against the abuse. Crimean Tatar men have been falsely labeled as terrorists and imprisoned for up to 20 years. Over 100 Crimean Tatar men have been detained, leaving their mothers and wives to take care of their families entirely on their own. In detention, the political prisoners have faced brutal conditions and even torture.
While Russia’s occupation authorities try to separate and isolate human rights activists, the Crimean Tatar community decided to take action by forming Crimean Solidarity, an NGO that fights for the freedom of political prisoners from Crimea. Crimean Solidarity plays a vital role in helping Crimean Tatars unite in support of one another, fight for each other, and survive under Russian occupation.
Watch more here:
Meet the Crimean Tatar civic defender fighting for the freedom of her people
Crimean Tatar Women in Solidarity: Wives of political prisoners band together
Russia forces Ukrainians out of Crimea (part 1)
How Russia forces Ukrainians out of Crimea (part 2)
Read more here:
Russian police crack down on Crimean Tatars again
In occupied Crimea, indigenous Tatars face religious profiling, persecution
3 Crimean Tatars sentenced to long prison terms in occupied Crimea
