On January 24, 1975, Reshat Ametov, a Crimean Tatar activist and the first victim of Russian aggression in Crimea in March 2014, was born in the Samarkand region of Uzbekistan. For his heroism, he was posthumously awarded the titles of People’s Hero of Ukraine in 2015 and Hero of Ukraine in 2017.
Reshat grew up in a family deeply aware of the cost of the struggle for freedom. His grandfather, Kadir Ametov, was a Soviet intelligence officer during World War II who organized an underground network in Crimea but, along with his family, endured forced deportation in 1944. Reshat’s father, Midat Ametov, was an active participant in the Crimean Tatar national movement but passed away early, leaving his wife to raise their three children alone.
After returning to Crimea, Reshat graduated from the National Academy of Environmental and Resort Construction in Simferopol. He was not only a devoted husband and father of three but also an active member of his community. Advocating for his rights, he succeeded in ensuring that signs in the local council were displayed in three languages, including Crimean Tatar, and insisted on having his nationality indicated in his passport.
Ametov supported the Euromaidan protests in Kyiv, drawing inspiration from the display of popular solidarity and civic activism among Ukrainians. On February 28, after Russian occupiers seized the building of the Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Reshat Ametov wrote on his page: “Tentatively on Monday, I’ll head to the council for a silent protest. What about you? Too scared???”
On March 3, 2014, Reshat Ametov staged a one-man protest in Lenin Square, in the center of Simferopol, to oppose the occupation of Crimea. At the time, the square was crowded with Russian occupiers and local collaborators, to whom he tried to explain the illegality of their actions.
He openly declared his right to be free on his own land. This brave act provoked a brutal response from the occupiers. Members of the so-called “Crimean Self-Defense” detained him in the square. They forced him into a vehicle and took him to an unknown location. He never made contact again. A video of his abduction is publicly available online: https://youtu.be/11S2Vhkr-bc.
Reshat Ametov’s body, bearing signs of brutal torture, was discovered on March 15, 2014, in the village of Zemlianychne in Bilohirsk District. He had suffered multiple stab wounds and broken ribs, his head was wrapped in tape, his eyes were gouged out, and handcuffs lay near the body. Ukrainian law enforcement has classified his murder as a crime against humanity and a war crime. The occupation administration refused to investigate the crime, despite identifying individuals involved in the abduction.
On March 18, 2014, around two thousand Crimean Tatars attended Reshat Ametov’s funeral at the Abdal cemetery. In 2019, the Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea announced the identification of suspects in his abduction. The suspects included Ukrainian nationals Oleksandr Rudenko and Oleksandr Bahliuk, as well as a retired Russian military officer, Yevhen Skrypnyk, who later fought in the Donbas under the call sign “Prapor” (“Flag”). Interpol declined to issue an international warrant for their arrest.
Reshat Ametov’s story stands as a symbol of the resilience of the Crimean Tatar people. His heroic act serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of the fight for human rights, freedom, and justice. We must honor his sacrifice and continue to strive for the liberation of Crimea from occupation, ensuring that all those who have suffered find justice.