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Kuleba calls on Russia to stop searches, detentions of Crimean Tatars in occupied Crimea
KYIV. Sept 9 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on Russia to stop searches and detentions of Crimean Tatars in the temporarily occupied Crimea, and to respond to Ukraine at the level of interstate relations, and not persecute innocent people.
"During a visit to Washington, we gave the U.S. State Department a complete list of all Ukrainian prisoners held in ORDLO, in the occupied Crimea and on the Russian territory. During the meeting of the two presidents, President Zelensky raised this issue with President [Joe] Biden, and we will use all opportunities to free our people. I have one appeal to the Russians: stop showing your pettiness, if you cannot stop the state of Ukraine from the struggle for Crimea and the liberation of the peninsula, then you should not get lost on innocent people. If you are so cool, answer us at the level of interstate relations, and not meanly persecuting innocent people," Kuleba said at an online briefing on Thursday.
The minister said that the detentions and searches of the Crimean Tatars on September 3 and 4 in the occupied Crimea, as a result of which Eldar Odamanov, Aziz Akhtemov, Asan Akhtemov, Shevket Useinov and First Deputy Head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Nariman Dzhelyal were detained, are Russia’s revenge for the successful conduct of Ukraine summit of the Crimea Platform.
The Foreign Minister said that all the charges brought against the detainees are absurd and politically motivated.
"You saw a strong reaction from Ukraine and our partners in the Crimea Platform to these events. We will work with our partners to free these people, as well as release all other political prisoners held by Russia," he said.
Kuleba said that in this regard, there are two tasks: to ensure that people are not tortured, and to achieve their release.
According to the minister, the experience of the previous seven years shows that for the fulfillment of the first task, it is very important to publicize and draw the attention of the international community to the fate of these illegally detained citizens.
"Liberation is a task of a different order, here we need to work, as they say," quiet diplomacy "behind the scenes, with different countries that can help us in this, and this is what we are doing now," he said.
