Foreign Ministry protests over detention of Mustafayev, Smailov in Crimea

This is stated in the ministry's comment on the persecution of Crimean Solidarity activists, which was posted on the ministry's website on May 21.

"During the raids that preceded the detention, Mustafayev, Smailov and their families were subjected to psychological pressure, and the access of lawyers was rejected by Russian occupiers. According to available information, the Russian occupation administration plans to add the abovementioned Ukrainian citizens to the so-called 'Hizb-ut-Tahrir case,' the political motives of which have been repeatedly emphasized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine," reads the comment.

According to the ministry, the detention of Mustafayev and Smailov once again confirmed that Russian anti-terrorist legislation is widely used in occupied Crimea to cover political repression against representatives of the Crimean Tatar people.

The ministry called on the international community to condemn this shameful practice, which, along with Russian support for terrorists in Donbas, shows the true value of the Kremlin's statements about the "Russian contribution" to the international fight against terrorism. Kyiv expects international partners to intensify political and diplomatic pressure on the aggressor state so as to release illegally held Ukrainian citizens, the document says.

As reported, law enforcers carried out searches and arrested Crimean Tatars Server Mustafayev and Edem Smailov in occupied Crimea on Monday, May 21.

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