First Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, Nariman Dzhelyal, spoke on January 13 at the United Nations Security Council’s Arria-formula meeting dedicated to discussing Russia’s crimes against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians. In his speech, he highlighted the torture endured by unlawfully detained Ukrainian citizens in Russian prisons.
Nariman Dzhelyal described the ethnic, political, and religious persecution in temporarily occupied Crimea, including fabricated cases brought by the occupying authorities against activists and journalists. He also shared his personal experience of being held in Russian detention:
“In one of the prisons, we were forbidden to sit on the bed. We had to sit on a bench or walk, which caused my legs to swell. In another prison, I had to lie on the floor because I had a fever, but the doctor never came. Without his permission, it was forbidden to lie on the bed. The health condition of Rustem Huhurik, Iryna Danylovych, Halyna Dovhopola, Amet Suleimanov, Tofik Abdulhaziiev, Teimur Abdullaiev, and many other political prisoners is critical.”
The First Deputy Chairman emphasized that, according to human rights organizations, there are currently 218 documented political prisoners from Crimea, 132 of whom are Crimean Tatars. This reflects a systematic campaign of repression against the indigenous people of the occupied peninsula.
Dzhelyal also detailed the torture endured by unlawfully detained individuals, citing the cases of Asan Akhtemov, Aziz Akhtemov, Shevket Useinov, and Eldar Odamanov, who were illegally arrested in September 2021. These individuals were beaten, tortured with electric shocks, and threatened with the murder of their children to coerce confessions to fabricated charges.
“In prison, I met a Ukrainian from the Kherson region. He told me that the occupiers tortured his wife to force him to confess to a crime. Another Ukrainian said he and other prisoners were regularly beaten and then taken for mock executions, where the guards would fire near their heads and laugh. For them, it was entertainment,” Dzhelyal shared.
He further emphasized that political repression has affected thousands of Ukrainians in Crimea. Unlawful mobilization has forced many to flee their homes, which for the small Crimean Tatar population amounts to a humanitarian catastrophe. Fear, distrust, and repression compel Crimean residents to seek safety in exile.
In concluding his address, Nariman Dzhelyal urged the members of the UN Security Council to increase their support for Ukraine:
“I am convinced you understand this situation cannot remain ignored by the international community. However, implementing international humanitarian law is impossible without real mechanisms to hold this party accountable. Ukraine and the Crimean Tatars need your support; they want freedom and security. Support Ukraine,” he appealed.