Addressing of the Minister of Information Policy of Ukraine Yurii Stets:
“Indigenous People of the Crimea, Ukraine, are Crimean Tatars, because of its disagreement with the occupation of the Ukrainian peninsula, they become a target of punitive operations of occupation authorities in the Crimea.
The killings of activists, numerous searches, arrests, fines, imprisonment, and criminal cases are examples of systemic violations of fundamental human rights taking place in the occupied territory. In relation to the Crimean Tatars, violations of human rights is combined with violation of the collective rights of the indigenous people: the destruction of national governments, activity of independent national media, creation of barriers to the development of speech, preservation of cultural and religious traditions.
Searches that occurred this morning at homes of the Crimean channel ATR owner Lenur Islyamov, his father, former CEO of ATR Elzara Islyamova and her deputy, journalist Lilia Budzhurova, is not just a direct attack on freedom of speech in the Crimea, it is the destruction of the last centers of free press.
Channel ATR is one of the symbols of the free Crimean peninsula, pressure on which is the pressure on the entire Crimean Tatar people, pressure on Ukrainian society. I demand response from prosecution authorities of Ukraine.
All persons involved in violations of inhabitants rights of the Crimea, the Crimean Tatars rights, rights of the Crimean journalists should be identified and brought to justice in accordance with established law in Ukraine.”