Action in support of Crimean civilian hostages held in Odesa

The action-demonstration "Sessiz qıçıruvı. A Mute Cry" dedicated to the Crimean civilian hostages of the Russian Federation was held on January 31 on Deribasovskaya Street in the center of Odesa.

According to the organizers of the action, more than half of these hostages are Crimean Tatars, who have been imprisoned since 2014 for their civic position and disagreement with the occupation.

According to the Crimean Resource Center, there are currently 486 illegally imprisoned and prosecuted persons, including 272 representatives of the Crimean Tatar people. Currently, 325 people are being held in FSB torture chambers, including various categories, including: 42 women, 28 elderly people, 8 people with disabilities, 64 youth and 63 parents with many children.

Since the occupation of Crimea, only 12 Crimean hostages have been released as part of exchanges. Eight were released before 2022, and only four after 2022, five of whom were representatives of the Crimean Tatar people. Russia deliberately avoids discussing Crimean Tatars during the exchange negotiations. Therefore, we appeal to all those involved in the negotiations on exchanges: every exchange should include people from Crimea and representatives of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people.

Crimean hostages do not have their own voices, amidst quiet terror and destruction, where criminal charges are only a pretext for the elimination of free Ukrainians, indigenous peoples, and Crimean Tatars. There are very few natives of Crimea - Crimean Tatars - because of the genocide committed in 1944, when almost half of the people were killed by Soviet Russia, even fewer of them on the mainland of Ukraine and their actions are monitored by Russian services, using their relatives as a tool of pressure. The Crimean prisoners in Russian camps are in mortal danger, amid conditions incompatible with life, some of them are in critical condition and need immediate release. We ask all conscious Ukrainians to join the movement for the release of the Crimean prisoners, because they are our citizens, because they are Ukrainian Crimea in the quiet oblivion of the world community. Be the voice of Crimea, because Crimea is the key to the liberation of the world. Let this quiet cry turn into a force that will liberate Crimea.

Кирило Бойко