As a result of the efforts of the state leadership to release people who were illegally detained by Russia, the First Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Nariman Dzhelial returned to Ukraine. He was released as a result of an exchange after several years of imprisonment, first in temporarily occupied Crimea and then in the Russian Federation. 

This is a significant event on the Day of the Crimean Tatar Flag and Constitution Day for the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea/Office of the Crimea Platform, who actively supported Nariman’s release at their level, as well as for the Crimean Tatar people and Crimea in general. 

We express our gratitude to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and all those who contributed to the process of negotiations and release, in particular, the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andrii Yermak, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov, and the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

Recall that Nariman Dzhelial was imprisoned by the occupation administration in Crimea upon his return to the peninsula after participating in the Inaugural Summit of the Crimea Platform in August 2021. At that time, he was the only person from Crimea who publicly participated in the Crimea Platform Summit, for which he was de facto illegally persecuted, as well as tortured and abused by the occupation forces. He was sentenced by the occupation court to 17 years in prison and at the end of 2023 was transferred to a colony in Minusinsk (Russia), thousands of kilometers away from native Crimea. 

“Thank you to everyone who helped! I am grateful to our team that is engaged in the release of prisoners. I would also like to recognize the Vatican’s efforts to bring these people home. We will definitely release all our people!”, — said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Glory to Ukraine! Crimea will be liberated!