Ilmi Umerov and Akhtem Chiygoz were released

The deputy chairmen of the Mejlis were released from custody.

On October 25, 2017, the deputy head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, banned in Russia, Ilmi Umerov, convicted under Part 2 of Art. 280.1 of the Criminal Code (calls for separatism using the media) and Akhtem Chiygoz were released from custody and sent by plane to Turkey.

According to media reports, they were pardoned by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Lawyer Nikolai Polozov noted, however, that those released had not sent petitions for clemency to Putin. According to State Duma deputy Ruslan Balbek, they were pardoned at the request of the Mufti of Crimea. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said that the release of Umerov and Chiygoz took place thanks to agreements with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

On September 27, Ilmi Umerov was sentenced by the Simferopol District Court of the Republic of Crimea to two years in a colony-settlement for speaking on the air of the ATP television channel. We opposed this verdict, as we consider it unlawful to persecute the Crimean Tatars for calling for the return of Crimea to Ukraine: it is impossible to accuse people of separatism who did not recognize the annexation of one territory to another. In addition, from the point of view of international law, the question of the legality of the annexation of Crimea to Russia is not entirely clear, and the Crimean Tatars have the right to their point of view in this dispute.

On September 11, 2017, the Supreme Court of Crimea sentenced Chiygoz to eight years in a strict regime colony for organizing mass riots (part 1 of article 212 of the Criminal Code) that occurred on February 26, 2014.

Sources

• Anton Naumlyuk. Ilmi Umerov and Akhtem Chiygoz pardoned // Radio Liberty. 2017. October 25.
• Akhtem Chiygoz and Ilmi Umerov, convicted in Crimea, handed over to Turkey // Crimea. Realities. 2017. October 25.
• Neither Umerov nor Chiygoz asked Putin for clemency - lawyer // Crimea. Realities. 2017. October 25.
• Twitter P. Poroshenko. 2017. October 25. //