Tag: Crimean Tatars

FSB Preparing to Close Muslim Institutions in Occupied Crimea, Silantyev Says

July 1, 2014

Staunton, June 30 – Roman Silantyev, notorious for his attacks on Muslims in the Russian Federation but close to the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church and Russian security agencies, says that the FSB plans for “the liquidation of radical Islamic organizations in Crimea.” Silantyev told Rosbalt last week that the Russian security services […]

Fewer than Two Percent of Crimean Tatars Apply for Russian Citizenship

June 27, 2014

Staunton, June 26 – Only 5,000 of the 300,000 Crimean Tatars living in the Russian-occupied peninsula have applied for Russian passports over the last ten days, according to the Russian official there responsible for nationality affairs. That figure reflects the steadfast opposition of the Crimean Tatars to the Russian Anschluss. These officials say that applications […]

Crimean Tatar Leader Says Russian ‘Occupiers Won’t Be There Long’

June 23, 2014

Staunton, June 21 Mustafa Cemilev, the long-time leader of the Crimean Tatars, said in an interview June 20 that he has no intention of moving his family out of Crimea despite the fact that the Russians have blocked his return because he is certain that “the occupiers will not remain in Crimea for long”. Cemilev, […]

St. Petersburg Imam Moves to Crimea to Push Moscow’s Agenda

June 14, 2014

Staunton, June 14 – The lack of local support in Crimea for the Russian occupation and the resistance of the Crimean Tatars to that occupation has prompted an imam from St. Petersburg to go to Crimea where he serves as Moscow’s point man against the Milli Mejlis which has just announced the Crimean Tatars will […]

Crimean Muftiate Speaks Out as Russian Occupiers Ignore Crimean Tatars

June 12, 2014

Staunton, June 12 – As the Russian occupation authorities in Crimea continue to force out Crimean Tatars from positions of responsibility and exclude them from policy discussions, the Muslim Spiritual Directorate (MSD) there is playing a more prominent role in speaking out about Crimean Tatar concerns, especially in the area of “disappearances.” In an appeal […]

Kyiv Mufti Urges Muslims from Other Countries Not to Come to Ukraine and Fight Against Kyiv

June 7, 2014

Staunton, June 6 – Said Ismagilov, the head of the Kyiv-based Muslim Spiritual Directorate (MSD) of Ukraine, said that Muslims in other countries should not come to Ukraine because those who do so will be fighting against a government that has treated the Islamic community well and continues to do so. In an appeal on […]

Coup against Putin Possible, Could Spark Disintegration of Russia, Cemilev Says

June 4, 2014

Staunton, 4 June – Mustafa Cemilev, the Crimean Tatar leader, said in an interview to the Belarusian television channel Belsat that people close to Vladimir Putin are growing so angry at the Kremlin leader because of sanctions that they are ready to rise in revolt against him, an action that could lead to the disintegration […]

Scholars Demand Moscow be Held Accountable for Occupation of Crimea and Violation of Crimean Tatar Rights

June 3, 2014

Staunton, 3 June – A group of scholars from around the world who study nationality issues in Eurasia are circulating an online petition calling on “all states, agencies, organizations and individuals” to speak out in defense of the rights of the Crimean Tatars and hold “the Russian authorities in illegal occupation of Crimea accountable for […]

Not One of 2,000 Muslims in Ukraine’s Luhansk Oblast Favors Secession, Leader Say

June 2, 2014

Staunton, 1 June – Not one of the 2,000 Muslims currently living in Ukraine’s Luhansk Region favors secession or transferring their region to the Russian Federation, according to the leader of that community. Instead, even though many of them come as he does from parts of Russia, they are proud to be citizens of Ukraine. […]

Crimean Tatars View Russia as If It Were Still the Soviet Union, Zorin Says

May 24, 2014

Staunton, May 23 – Vladimir Zorin, a former Russian nationalities minister, says that the Crimean Tatars continue to think about themselves in terms drawn from the Soviet past but have infused these terms with anti-Soviet attitudes and that this contradiction explains many of their current problems. In an interview given to Yuliya Taratura of TV […]