Dzhemilev calls on Muslim nations to support Ukraine, overcome fear of Russia

The leader of the Crimean Tatar people, Mustafa Dzhemilev, believes the support Muslim countries provide to Ukraine in its efforts to repel Russia’s onslaught remains insufficient.

He stated this during the first Iftar hosted at the official level with the participation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, Muslim soldiers, and representatives of the foreign diplomatic corps, reports an Ukrinform correspondent.

"To be honest, I have to admit that we, Muslims of Crimea, expected much more support from Muslim nations. Moreover, Russian aggression began precisely with the occupation of our Homeland in February 2014, while Muslims were targeted in the most massive repression and elimination, abductions and murders, arrests and illegal trials," Dzhemilev said.

He said that in international organizations, primarily the UN General Assembly, resolutions condemning Russian aggression against rights violations and demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory were supported by only a small share of Muslim countries, while their vast majority remained neutral, and two countries – Syria, ruled by the Assad regime, and Afghanistan supported Russia's annexation of Crimea.

At the same time, the leader of the Crimean Tatar people said that, when Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan in 1979, he protested and for that, he was sentenced to three years in prison camps.

"I am not a theologian and I don’t know all the intricacies of Muslim law, but I know for sure that a Muslim cannot be neutral between good and evil, between a thief and a victim of theft, and to take the side of a thief is a serious sin before Almighty Allah. I hope that Islamic countries will overcome their fear of the aggressor state, whose fangs the Ukrainian Army has already quite effectively been pulling out, and will take a more proactive stance in the confrontation between Ukraine and the aggressor," Dzhemilev stressed.

He added that the more active Muslims are on the side of good and justice, the higher the authority of Islam in the world will be.

Photo: Hennadiy Minchenko