Norway Considers Recognizing 1944 Deportation of Crimean Tatars as Genocide

Norway is preparing a report on the persecution of Crimean Tatars in Crimea and is considering recognizing the 1944 deportation as genocide. Earlier, similar decisions were made by the Czech Republic and Estonia, and Ukraine calls on other countries to follow suit.

This was reported by Krym.Realii.

Norway plans to prepare a detailed report on the repressions of Crimean Tatars in the annexed Crimea and will consider the appeal of the Verkhovna Rada and the Mejlis to recognize the deportation of 1944 as an act of genocide. This was discussed at a meeting between the Chairman of the Mejlis Refat Chubarov and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and Minister of Labor and Social Inclusion Tonje Brenna.

According to Chubarov, the Norwegian minister assured him that the results of the delegation's visit to Ukraine will be formalized in a parliamentary report, where special attention will be paid to the persecution of Crimean Tatars in Crimea. In addition, Norwegian officials were interested in the activities of the Kurultai and the Mejlis, comparing them to the Sami Parliament of Norway, which represents the country's indigenous people.

Last year, on October 9, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine called on other governments to recognize the 1944 deportation of Crimean Tatars as an act of genocide. On December 18, the Senate of the Czech Republic adopted this decision, supporting it with 70 votes out of 74. Earlier, the Estonian parliament approved a similar statement.

The leader of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Dzhemilev noted that the Czech authorities promised to use their influence to persuade other countries to recognize the 1944 deportation as an act of genocide.

Recently, the international community was sent documents demanding to recognize the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people as genocide. They continue to work to expand the number of countries recognizing this crime and demand international condemnation of Russia for its consequences.

Human rights activists, together with international organizations, have also submitted evidence of Russia's systematic war crimes in Crimea and other occupied territories to the UN. The Media Initiative for Human Rights has identified at least 1,908 civilians illegally detained by the terrorist country.

Анна Бальчінос