Russia's persecution of Muzhdabaev an abuse of anti-terrorism legislation - Kuleba

Russia's political persecution of deputy director general of the ATR television channel and journalist Ayder Muzhdabaev is an abuse of anti-terrorism legislation, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said on Twitter.

"Politically motivated prosecution of Ukrainian Crimean Tatar journalist Ayder Muzhdabaev demonstrates: Russia continues to abuse anti-terrorism legislation for political means," Kuleba wrote.

He added that this, in particular, undermines real international anti-terrorist efforts and discredits their toolbox.

Muzhdabaev said on May 22 that he was officially recognized as a terrorist in the Russian Federation. According to documents published by Muzhdabaev from the Moscow Bar Association and a court ruling, he is charged with "public calls for committing terrorist activities, public acquittal or propaganda of terrorism."

Muzhdabaev is a Ukrainian Crimean Tatar journalist, media manager, videoblogger, and deputy director general of the Crimean Tatar TV channel ATR, the first Crimean Tatar TV channel. On June 17, 2015, the channel resumed broadcasting from Kyiv.

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