Statement by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on illegal sentences by the Russian court to citizens of Ukraine

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly protest against the shameful decision of the Southern District Military Court of the Russian Federation of January 12, 2021 on the conviction of three citizens of Ukraine – Ayder Dzhapparov, Enver Omerov and Riza Omerov in the so-called “Belogorsk group of Hizb ut-Tahrir” case on trumped-up charges of “organizing and participating in the activities of a terrorist organization and the violent seizure and retention of power.” They were illegally detained on the territory of the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea by the power structures of the occupation administration of the Russian Federation on June 10, 2019 and, in violation of international law, were transferred to the territory of Russia in Rostov-on-Don. The Journalist reported with reference to the press service of the Foreign Ministry.

“The pre-trial investigation and trial took place with numerous procedural violations and in the conditions of complete disregard for the evidence provided by the defense that the accused were not involved in the incriminated acts and indicates the political motivation of the decision to convict Enver Omerov for 18 years, Ayder Dzhapparov for 17 years, Riza Omerov for 13 years of imprisonment in high security colonies.

“These sentences are yet another proof the Russian judicial system has nothing to do with justice and is used to continue the policy of persecuting Crimean Tatars and suppressing any signs of dissent in the occupied Crimea,” said First Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Emine Dzhaparova.

We demand from the Russia to cancel the court decision and immediately release Enver and Riza Omerov, Ayder Dzhapparov, as well as all illegally detained citizens of Ukraine.

Russia must end systemic political persecution in the temporarily occupied Crimea and adhere to its obligations as an occupying state in accordance with international law.

We call on the international community to condemn the use of political persecution by the Russia against the citizens of Ukraine, as well as to increase political and diplomatic pressure in order to release illegally detained Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars,” the message says.