Russia/Ukraine: A decade of suppressing non-Russian identities in occupied Crimea.
| Published date | 18 March 2024 |
M2 PRESSWIRE-March 18, 2024-: Russia/Ukraine: A decade of suppressing non-Russian identities in occupied Crimea
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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Since the occupation of Crimea 10 years ago, Russia has sought to change the peninsula's ethnic makeup and suppress the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar communities, Amnesty International said today in a new publication, on the tenth anniversary of the illegal annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula by Russia.
"Russia has systematically sought to eradicate Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar identities by disrupting, restricting or banning the use of Ukrainian and Crimean Tartar languages in education, media, national celebrations and other spheres of life, and oppressing religious and cultural practices that do not conform to those endorsed by Moscow. It has also forcibly transferred population out of Crimea and transferred the Russian civilian population in," said Patrick Thompson, Amnesty International's Ukraine Researcher.
"Russia must end its practices of suppression and eradication of non-Russian identities in the territories it occupies and stop its violations of international humanitarian and human rights law."
TOWARDS ERADICATION OF CULTURAL IDENTITY AND LANGUAGE
Russia has attempted to legitimize its occupation and illegal annexation of Crimea by introducing policies that aim to suppress non-Russian identities throughout the peninsula.
Immediately after the annexation, Russia imposed its own school curriculum in Crimea resulting in indoctrination and threats of reprisals against teachers, students and parents who objected. At the same time the Russian authorities have been systematically dismantling Ukrainian language education. This has come on top of the illegal imposition of Russian laws and practices, including suppression of the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and of cultural events and religious practices.
"For years, we have been ringing the alarm bell over Russia's suppression of human rights in Crimea. A decade later we can take stock of what this has done to the peninsula as Russia seeks to suppress non-Russian identities, including Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar cultures. Alarmingly, it looks like this is Russia's blueprint for the other Ukrainian territories it has occupied."
OPPRESSION OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Russia has severely restricted the right to freedom of religion and belief in Crimea, including the introduction of legislation according to which...
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