Number of raids against Crimean Tatars in occupied Crimea doubles – UN

Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine Matilda Bogner stated this while presenting a report on the human rights situation in Ukraine between May 16 and August 15, 2019, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“Within the first six months of 2019, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) documented 67 searches and raids carried out by Russian Federation law enforcement officers in Crimea. At least 53 (nearly 79 per cent) impacted Crimean Tatars. OHCHR notes that the number of raids against Crimean Tatars almost doubled compared to the same period last year,” the report reads.

She noted that the Russian Federation authorities continued to suppress freedom of expression on social media in Crimea by imposing administrative sanctions under extremism charges. “In some cases, Russian anti-extremism legislation was applied to content posted on social media prior to the application of Russian Federation law in Crimea,” she said.

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