Turkey criticizes imprisonment of a Crimean Tatar leader

ANKARA

Turkey has criticized a court decision issued for the imprisonment of a prominent Crimean Tatar leader by the court of a de facto administration in Crimea, stressing that the verdict constitutes more suffering for Turkey’s kinsmen. 

“Following an almost three-year arrest, Ahtem Çiygöz, Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, was sentenced on Sept. 11, 2017 to eight years of imprisonment by the so-called court of the de-facto administration in Crimea,” said Hüseyin Müftüoğlu, spokesman of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, on late Sept. 11 in response to a question on the imprisonment of Çiygöz.

“This verdict constitutes more suffering for the Crimean Tatars who express their concerns on the developments in Crimea by peaceful means. Re-emphasizing the importance we attach to the protection of the rights and interests of our Crimean Tatar kinsmen, we express our hope that the verdict on Mr. Çiygöz will be reviewed and that he will be released,” he said. 

Ukraine’s autonomous region of Crimea has been under the illegal occupation of Russia since 2014. Russia had announced that it annexed the region in violation of all international laws.