On January 23, 2025, the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg adopted a resolution strongly condemning the violation of the rights of Crimean Tatars in the temporarily occupied peninsula. The document highlights the systematic repression, the crime of genocide through deportation, and Russia’s modern policies aimed at erasing the identity of Ukraine’s Indigenous people.
One of the central themes of the resolution is the mention of the deportation of Crimean Tatars, organized by the Soviet regime in May 1944 on the orders of Joseph Stalin. The entire Crimean Tatar population was forcibly expelled from their historical homeland to remote regions of the Soviet Union. Over 46% of the Crimean Tatars perished in the first years of deportation due to hunger, disease, forced labor, and inhumane living conditions. The resolution underscores the importance of preserving the memory of these tragic events, which were intended to annihilate the Crimean Tatar people. The Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg honored the memory of the victims of this deportation and called on the international community to support measures for their recognition.
The resolution highlights a new wave of persecution against Crimean Tatars that began after Russia’s occupation of Crimea in 2014. These repressions have significantly intensified since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The occupation administration systematically pursued policies aimed at suppressing Crimean Tatar identity, including arrests, searches, and other forms of persecution.
The document also draws attention to the actions of the occupation administration aimed at erasing the cultural and linguistic heritage of the Crimean Tatars. The use of the Crimean Tatar language is restricted, and the culture and history of Crimea and Ukraine’s Indigenous peoples are falsified in educational materials by the occupiers. Furthermore, the occupation administration prohibits cultural and religious events that are vital for preserving Crimean Tatar identity.
The resolution places particular emphasis on the unlawful ban on the activities of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, the principal representative body of Ukraine’s Indigenous people. In 2016, Russia declared the Mejlis illegal, defying the International Court of Justice ruling, which ordered the ban to be lifted. This move represents another step in suppressing the political and cultural autonomy of the Crimean Tatars.
The occupation administration systematically employs so-called “judicial mechanisms” to persecute Crimean Tatars. Laws on “extremism” and “terrorism” are used to justify illegal arrests and searches of the homes of Indigenous people. Lawyers defending the interests of Crimean Tatars also face repression, including threats, harassment, and disbarment.
The resolution draws attention to the dismantling of independent media in occupied Crimea, mainly targeting journalists and outlets reporting on the rights violations of Crimean Tatars. These actions are part of Russia’s broader policy of suppressing free speech and erasing all forms of resistance to the occupation.
The resolution expresses Luxembourg’s solidarity with the Crimean Tatar people, condemning repression, deportation, and Russia’s aggressive policies. It also calls on the international community to intensify efforts to end human rights violations in Crimea and to support measures for the de-occupation of the peninsula. Additionally, the Chamber of Deputies reaffirmed its unwavering support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
The resolution will be officially presented to the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuk, as a symbol of Luxembourg’s solidarity with Ukraine and its efforts to defend human rights and restore territorial integrity. This document underscores the urgency of strengthening efforts to end human rights violations in the occupied territory and to protect the cultural identity of Ukraine’s Indigenous people.