On Wednesday 25 October, a spokesperson for the European External Action Service welcomed the release, earlier in the day, of the vice-presidents of the Assembly of Tatars, the Mejlis, Akhtem Chyigoz and Ilmi Umerov, who were sentenced on the Crimean peninsula last month, "in violation of international humanitarian law."
"This is good news," said the spokeswoman, recalling that the EU has always pleaded for their unconditional release and "appreciates the efforts of all those who have also worked for" their release (see EUROPE 11860 and 11872). The European Parliament also called for the release of the two Tatar representatives (see EUROPE 11877). The two men, jailed for apologizing for separatism and organizing massive unrest were sent to Turkey.
"The European Union expects Russia to cancel the decision to ban the activities of the Mejlis, the autonomous body of the Crimean Tatars, and to respect the rights of the Crimean Tatars, including freedom of assembly and expression," the EEAS spokesperson added. She also called once again for the immediate release of all Ukrainian citizens illegally detained on the Crimean peninsula and in Russia. The EU does not recognise the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by Russia and therefore does not recognise the application of Russian law on the peninsula, the spokeswoman said. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)