Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemns the illegal decision of the Russian occupation “court” in the city of Simferopol to arrest citizen of Ukraine Edem Bekirov for 1 month and 30 days.

Edem Bekirov, Crimean Tatar activist, was illegally detained on 12 December 2018, upon entry to the temporarily occupied Crimea, where he was heading to visit his mother and family. The occupation administration of the Crimea has fabricated yet another accusation under art. 221 paragraph 2 and and 222.1 paragraph 2 (possession and transfer of explosives and ammunition) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

A matter of grave concern is the fact that Edem Bekirov has been disabled for more than 18 years and has a range of related health problems, which require taking medication on a daily basis. In the two days since his detention and up to the “court hearing” in the fabricated case, Edem Bekirov received neither proper medical assistance, nor food or even water. Failure to provide medical assistance is a violation of human rights, and Edem Bekirov’s detention poses a direct threat to his life.
We regard this arrest as a continuation of oppression of the Crimean Tatar residents of the Crimea, and as another act of contempt of the international community.

We demand the occupying aggressor-state of Russian Federation, to provide urgent medical assistance to Edem Bekirov, immediately bring end to the persecution of human rights activists on the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, release all the illegally detained citizens of Ukraine and resume the functioning of the Medjlis of the Crimean Tatar People. 

We call on the international community to step-up political and diplomatic pressure, as well as sanctions against the aggressor-state until the Crimea is de-occupied and all the Ukrainians illegally detained by Russia are released.