Ukraine protests against human rights violations in Crimea – President's Office

Ukraine is protesting against human rights abuses and persecution of its citizens in Russian-occupied Crimea and is working to release all political prisoners of the Kremlin, the President's Office has reported.

"Ukraine strongly protests against human rights violations and persecution of its citizens living in the temporarily occupied Crimea," she said.

The President's Office said that these days a court in Rostov-on-Don is considering the case of Crimean Tatar activists, public journalists and human rights activists, who face between 15 and 21 years of prison.

According to the report, Marlen Asanov, Memet Belyalov, Tymur Ibrahimov, Ernes Ametov, Server Zekiryaev, Seyran Saliyev, Server Mustafayev and Edem Smailov are accused of organizing and participating in a terrorist organization, although they only gathered in a mosque and had religious literature in their homes.

"In fact, the indigenous people of Crimea are deprived of the right to practice their religion in their homeland," the President's Office said.

According to the report, Ukraine works every day for the release of all political prisoners and captives held in the temporarily occupied territories and in the Russian Federation.

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