In Istanbul, Muslim countries stand in defense of Crimean Tatars

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has adopted a resolution in defense of the Crimean Tatars who are being repressed during the Russian occupation of Crimea. Muslim countries demand an end to the persecution, the release of leaders and security guarantees for the community.

This was reported by Qirim.media.

At a meeting in Istanbul on June 21-22, 2025, the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) adopted a resolution on the situation of Crimean Tatars during the temporary occupation of Crimea by Russia. The document consists of six paragraphs and shows the concern of Muslim states over the oppression of the indigenous people of the peninsula.

The first paragraph of the resolution expresses serious concern about the repression, searches, arrests and harassment of the religious and cultural rights of Crimean Tatars by the occupation authorities.

The second paragraph emphasizes the need to guarantee Crimean Tatars access to education, property, free religion and cultural heritage, as well as to ensure their safety.

The third paragraph emphasizes that Muslims in Crimea are regularly subjected to politically motivated persecution and need protection.

The fourth point calls for the immediate release of leaders of the Crimean Tatar community who have been imprisoned because of their social or religious activities.

In the fifth paragraph, the OIC instructs its secretary general to establish additional ties with the Crimean Tatars and to study the situation in more depth in order to present it to the international community.

And in the sixth point, the organization asks the Secretary General to monitor the implementation of the resolution and prepare a report for the next 52nd session.

In the address of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people to the participants of the 51st session of the OIC, it was noted that Russia has turned Crimea, the historical homeland of the Crimean Tatars and an important center of Islam, into a military base for further invasion of Ukraine. And the leader of the Crimean Tatars Mustafa Dzhemilev emphasized that the process of releasing political prisoners is very complicated, and Russia is particularly obstructing the return of the Crimean Tatars, as it considers their release a threat to the occupation regime in Crimea.

Анна Бальчінос