CrimeaSOS: Ukrainian human rights defenders opposed the detention of Crimean human rights defender Abdureshyt Dzhepparov
25 / 04 / 2023
On the morning of April 25, Russian security forces searched the house of human rights defender and veteran of the Crimean Tatar national movement Abdureshyt Dzhepparov. Ukrainian human rights organizations opposed the search and detention of Dzhepparov. This is stated in the joint statement published today, said Oleksii Tilnenko, Head of the Board of CrimeaSOS.
“This morning, Abdureshyt Dzhepparov’s house was searched again, as a result of which the human rights defender was detained and taken in an unknown direction. Since the beginning of the occupation, his family has been subjected to regular persecution. Dzhepparov devoted his whole life to the struggle for the rights of the Crimean Tatars; today, he is the one who needs our support, immediate release and return home”, — says Oleksii Tilnenko.
Abdureshyt Dzhepparov is a well-known Crimean human rights defender and a veteran of the Crimean Tatar national movement. Since the beginning of the russian occupation of Crimea, Dzhepparov actively helped victims of political repression. His human rights activities were highly appreciated at the international level. In particular, in 2020, the human rights defender was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
On September 27, 2014, unknown persons in black uniform abducted his son Isliam Dzhepparov and nephew Dzhevdet Isliamov, their fate and whereabouts are still unknown. There is every reason to believe that the abduction of Abdureshiyt Dzhepparov’s relatives was organized by the FSB of the russian federation.
In March 2022, the house of Abdureshyt Dzhepparov was searched, after which he was sent under administrative arrest for 15 days for allegedly displaying Nazi symbols due to a publication allegedly placed on his social network page in 2019.
On April 25, 2023, Abdureshyt Dzhepparov was taken to an unknown destination, his whereabouts were not reported to his relatives and lawyer.
Ukrainian human rights defenders call on the governments of foreign countries and international organizations, in particular the participants of the International Crimea Platform, to express a strong consolidated protest against the detention of Abdureshyt Dzhepparov and to demand his immediate and unconditional release.