Russian ombudsman to inspect Crimea after rise in complaints of violation of Crimean Tatars' rights
SIMFEROPOL. May 11 (Interfax) - Russian Human Rights Commissioner, Tatyana Moskalnikova, has travelled to Crimea to check the situation around Crimean Tatars' rights after a rise in complaints about their violation.
"Her visit to Crimea is prompted by an increase in the number of public complaints and mass media publications of a controversial nature, about the infringement of Crimean Tatars' rights on the peninsula," the Crimean parliament spokesperson said.
The regional authorities are trying to persuade the ombudsman that Crimean Tatars are not being repressed in Crimea, the spokesperson said.
"The republic's officials have informed the Russian Federation human rights commissioner about the situation in the sphere of inter-ethnic relations on the peninsula, having noted that, recently, it has significantly changed for the better. The time of political speculations is gone, and today, the work of Crimean authorities of every level, is aimed at making improvements in the Crimean Tatar community areas, protecting their rights and freedoms, reviving the spiritual and cultural traditions of the people," reads the press release.
Crimea has a population of 1.9 million, of whom 13% are Crimean Tatars.
In late April, the Crimean Supreme Court ruled in favor of regional prosecutor, Natalya Poklonskaya, and declared the Crimean Tatars' Mejlis, a representative body not registered in Russia, an extremist organization and banned its activity in Russia.
The decision was criticized by the United States, Ukraine, and by European organizations.