Scheduled warnings: how the occupiers intimidate Crimean residents on the eve of memorable dates 

Last week, Crimean occupation police officers handed a warning about the inadmissibility of violating the law to Crimean human rights activist Aider Suleimanov, emphasizing that the man repeatedly participated in mass isolated pickets in Crimea in 2017. They also tried to deliver a similar warning to Crimean Tatar activist and journalist Lutfiie Zudiieva. However, she was not at home at that time. Why do Crimean residents receive such “signals” and what is the connection with the memorable dates – we explain in this article. 

Memorable dates are an occasion for handing out “warnings” 

“The occupiers regularly hand out warnings about the inadmissibility of violating the law to activists of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, Crimean Solidarity, human rights activists, citizen journalists, and other activists in Crimea. Such warnings most often refer to the inadmissibility of violating public order during “unauthorized gatherings.” As practice shows, the occupation police usually hand out the “warnings” on the eve of the following memorable dates: Noman Çelebicihan Memorial Day (February 23), Day of Resistance to the Occupation of Crimea (February 26), Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Genocide of the Crimean Tatar People (May 18), Crimean Tatar Flag Day (June 26)”, —CrimeaSOS analyst Yevhenii Yaroshenko says. 

For example, in January 2021, the aforementioned warnings were served on 9 Crimean Tatar activists. In the same year, on the eve of International Mother Language Day and Noman Çelebicihan Memorial Day, another 9 were served; before the Day of Remembrance of Victims of the Deportation of Crimean Tatars -5 were served; and the same number – on the eve of Crimean Tatar Flag Day. In addition, in 2021, such a warning was served twice in a short period of time to Crimean Tatar activist Zair Smedliaiev. 

In 2022, Crimean Tatar activists received warnings from occupation law enforcement agencies on the eve of the Day of Crimean Resistance to russian Occupation, the Day of Remembrance of Victims of Deportation of the Crimean Tatar People, and the Day of the Crimean Tatar Flag. That year, Fatma, wife of political prisoner Tofik Abdulhaziiev, activists Rolan Osmanov, Ebazer Isliamov, Eskender Dzhelialov, Elmaz Akimov, Seitosman Karaliiev, and citizen journalist Zidan Adzhikeliamov also received warnings. 

In 2023, russian security forces massively handed out warnings to Crimean Tatars on at least three occasions about the inadmissibility of violating the law and participating in mass events, in particular on the eve of the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Genocide of the Crimean Tatar People. The recipients of such warnings included: parents of political prisoners, former political prisoner Kazim Ametov, Crimean Solidarity coordinator Server Cholakchyk, and Crimean Solidarity correspondent Kulamet Ibraimov. 

In May 2024, the occupation police handed over warnings about the inadmissibility of violating the law to human rights defenders Lutfiie Zudiieva and Seit-Osman Karaliiev, lawyers Lilia Hemedzhi, Rustem Kiamilev, and Nazim Sheikhmambetov.  

Why do the occupiers do this? 

According to the CrimeaSOS analyst, the occupation authorities are intimidating activists with warnings about the inadmissibility of violating the law: holding rallies, mass events, etc. 

The recipients of the “warnings” note that the occupation police have a certain list of persons to whom this document should be handed over, as well as a periodic plan. For example, an occupation policeman, while handing journalist and human rights activist Lutfiie Zudiieva a “warning” on the eve of May 18, 2024, noted: “I don’t know what you committed. I simply have the task of doing it. They gave us the address, told us to stop by and issue a warning.” 

Seitosman Karaliiev previously said that the occupation police officers argued that giving him a “warning” was because Karaliiev was allegedly “on some kind of list.” 

The attempt to serve a warning to Emil Ziiadinov in 2023, who at that time had already been serving his third year of illegal imprisonment, was absurd. 

Such warnings violate the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and constitute discrimination against Crimean Tatars on the occupied peninsula. In addition, such warnings may be aimed at intimidating Crimean Tatar activists.