Crimea. News. Top-5 (January 18-25)

Mustafa Dzemilev arrested in absentia

– On January 20, 2016, Simferopol’s Kievsky district court issued an arrest warrant in absentia for Mustafa Dzhemilev.

– According to Dzhemil Temishev, Mustafa Dzhemilev’s attorney, a criminal case has been initiated against Mustafa Dzhemilev for having committed offenses that are punished according to the three articles of the Russian Criminal Code.

– While citing grounds for issuing the warrant, the investigator and prosecutor said Mustafa Dzhemilev is a fugitive from justice, can apply pressure on witnesses, is capable of destroying evidence and has no permanent place of residence in Crimea.

– Last week, the Federal Security Service of Russia issued an international arrest warrant for Mustafa Dzhemilev and Refat Chubarov, as well as a federal arrest warrant for Lenur Islyamov.

Ukrainian is on trial for putting up a Ukrainian flag on top of his house

– A court hearing for Vladimir Balukh, who is charged with insulting a police officer, got underway in the village of Razdolnoye on January 22, 2016.

– In December 2013, Vladimir Balukh put up a Ukrainian flag on the roof of his house in the village of Serebryanka of the Razdolnensky district.

– Police used all kinds of means to get the Ukrainian patriot to remove the flag, including conducting searches on different charges, such as stealing car parts and carjacking. After conducting searches without a warrant, police officers eventually tore the flag down.

– Following several provocations, a criminal case was initiated against Balukh for offenses punishable under Article 319 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (‘insulting a police officer’). If found guilty, Balukh may face a 2-year prison term.

Kadyrov’s militants are planning to stage terror attacks in Crimea

– On January 21, Adam Osmayev, Commander of the Johar Dudayev International Peacekeeping Battalion, told at a press conference in Kiev that Kadyrov’s militants  had been sent to Crimea to stage terror attacks there.

– Four groups numbering 5-7 people each have been sent to Crimea to stage several terror attacks there by springtime. That may provide the Russian Federation with an excuse to launch a full-scale war in Crimea.

– Terror attacks may be staged at Simferopol’s Kuibyshev and Central markets, as well as on a highway linking up the cities of Simferopol and Yalta (the Angarsky pass). To discredit Muslims, who volunteered to defend Ukraine from terrorists and occupants, attacks may be launched against Simferopol’s orthodox churches. The attacks should culminate in the blowing up of a Russian warship stationed in Crimea.

– The responsibility for the attacks will be placed with Muslims, who volunteered to fight for Ukraine. It is expected that the perpetrators of the terror attacks, who will have telephones on them with plans of the terror attacks and Mustafa Dzhemilev and Lenur Islyamov’s phone numbers, will be held up in Crimea.

Harassment of Crimean journalist Akadyrov continues

– On January 15, 2016, journalist Zair Kadyrov was illegally removed from Crimea’s Supreme Court where a hearing in Akhtem Chigoz and Crimean Tatar activists cases was held.

– On January 22, 2016, a subpoena of demonstrably provocative nature was served on Akadyrov. According to the subpoena, Akadyrov was to show up at the Prosecutor’s Office on January 21, 2016. The subpoena also said that he would be ‘held administratively accountable for failure to appear at the Prosecutor’s Office”.

– Persecution and questioning of the journalist are still ongoing. Akadyrov is expected to show up at the Prosecutor’s Office on January 25, 2016.

Vendors of a torn down outdoor market in Yevpatoriya left jobless

– Last week saw the dismantling of Yevpatoriya’s Olymp outdoor market. The authorities cited a broken water main running across the market site as a reason for tearing down the market. According to them, ‘the retail outlet was illegal due to the multiple violations of regulatory requirements committed during its construction, as well as absence of a market license and title-establishing documents’.

– The tearing down of Yevpatoriya’s cheapest market has left hundreds of people jobless. According to the vendors, the market was torn down because some property developer decided to launch a project on its site.

– This is not the first time a property dispute has erupted in Crimea since it got occupied by Russia.