Psychological pressure being exerted on Crimean Tatars in Crimea

Psychological pressure continues to be exerted on the indigenous Crimean Tatar population in the occupied Crimean peninsula. Armed soldiers have been deployed on streets where Tatars live, with the aim of intimidating people.

“В микрорайоне Фонтаны по всем улицам расставлены автоматчики. В данном микрорайоне, преимущественно, проживает крымскотатарское население. По имеющейся информации, эту операцию нельзя назвать просто задержанием подозреваемого, а реальное запугивание народа. Человек 150-200 с автоматами и пулеметами, снайперы. И все это видят дети... Просим людей соблюдать спокойствие, срочно сообщайте о любом действии автоматчиков: обыски, зачистки в домах, грубое отношение к людям, нарушение права на передвижение, использование огнестрельного оружия в населенном пункте, исчезновении жителей и т.д.” (In the Fontany district, armed soldiers are deployed on all streets. The Crimean Tatar population predominantly lives in this district. According to available information, this operation cannot be called simply the detention of a suspect, but rather the real intimidation of the people. 150-200 people with rifles and machine guns, snipers. And children see all of this... We ask people to remain calm, urgently report any actions by armed soldiers: searches, house-to-house sweeps, rude treatment of people, violation of the right to movement, use of firearms in a populated area, disappearance of residents, etc.), Eskender Beriev reported from his internet page.

Presumably, the authorities of the Russian Federation and Crimea are trying to influence the situation regarding Ukraine's blockade of the peninsula in this way.