On 18 May from 11.00 to 13.00 EEST (GMT + 3) twitter users can join a solidarity action with the Crimea Tatar people on the anniversary of their deportation. The initiators of the event are Ukrainian civic organizations: CenterUA, CrimeaSOS, civic movement Chesno, telekritika.ua reported.
On May 18, Ukraine commemorates the anniversary of the forceful deportation of Crimean Tatars from their homeland, the Crimean peninsula, under the rule of the Soviet dictator Stalin. «After the Russian annexation of the peninsula, the rights of the Crimean Tatar population have been brutally oppressed. Numerous instances of human rights violations, persecution of activists and journalists for their pro-Ukrainian position have become the terrible reality for people living there. Freedom of speech has been significantly limited — on 1 April almost all independent Crimean Tatar medias had been shut down,” the organizers commented.
This year the occupation authorities had banned the Crimean Tatars from holding their peaceful gathering to commemorate the anniversary of the deportation of their peoples, traditionally held each year in Simferopol.
“In this situation, Ukrainian citizens and the international community should express their support for the people who find themselves in such appalling conditions. We invite everyone to join our action and send a tweet in support of the Crimean Tatars,” the organizers noted.
How to join
Tweet with the hashtags:
#SaveCrimeanTatars, #QirimSurgunu
Examples of ready tweets:
- Rights of Crimean Tatars in occupied Crimea must be protected!
- Stop the new terror against Crimean Tatars in occupied Crimea!
- Stop the censorship of Crimean Tatar medias
The occupation authorities in Crimea have launched a campaign of repressions against Crimean Tatars, with leaders being banned from entering Crimea, activists deported from their homeland, kidnapped, arrested, intimidated, and searched. A timeline of repressions against Crimean Tatars can be viewed here.
