19/05/2016 (Agence Europe) - Elena Valenciano calls for halt to persecution of Tatars in Crimea. On Wednesday 18 May, during the 72nd anniversary of the deportation of the Crimean Tatars by Stalin, Elena Valenciano (S1D, Spain), Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights in the European Parliament, on the human rights situation of the Crimean Tatars, called for an end to the current persecution against this people. In a press release she emphasised "we also acknowledge with concern the current increased persecution of this vulnerable minority. The arbitrary arrests, torture in detention and severe restrictions on the rights to peaceful assembly, freedom of expression, religion and belief must stop". She also called on the Russian authorities responsible to fully respect the obligation on human rights and "in particular to abide by the rules of international humanitarian law and the European Convention on Human Rights". On Thursday 12 May, the European Parliament adopted an emergency resolution on the situation of the Tartars in the Crimea (see EUROPE 11550), who account for 12% of the total population Crimea (close to 270,000 people). (CG)