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The Situation of Crimean Tatars since 2014

Access to the Political, Social, and Economic Systems
1.3 Minutes
The Situation of Tatars since 2014

In December 2018, the Friedrich-Naumann Foundation (FNF) Turkey organized a panel, titled as "The Situation of Crimean Tatars since 2014: Access to the Political, Social, and Economic Systems" with the support of Kadir Has University Center for International and European Studies (CIES).

While opening the panel on the situation of Crimean Tatars, Dr. Hans-Georg Fleck from Friedrich Naumann Foundation explained the historical relevance of Crimean Tatars and the current problems with human rights. Four different panelists from Crimea and Turkey discussed the topic afterward from different angles.

Mr. Mustafa Aydın (Professor of International Relations; Former Rector, Kadir Has University, Istanbul) presented in his realist motivated speech the increasing dominance of Russia in the Black Sea and the surrounding of Turkey after the occupancy of Crimea with Russian military forces. Then, Mr. Borys Babin (Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in Crimea) highlighted the importance of international law and the breaches Russia committed by occupying Crimea. He urged all parties involved to stand in for justice like the Crimean Tatars experienced decades after the deportation under the Soviet regime. His follower, Fethi Kurtiy Şahin (Researcher, Middle East Technical University, Ankara), switched the focus on a large number of Crimean Tatars living in Turkey and their living culture and society. Focussing on the evolving civil society in Turkey, he presented a new phase of Crimean Tatar activism. He also contributed that the situation of Crimean Tatars was never perfect, neither under Ukraine nor under Russian influence. Lastly, Zarema Barieva (Researcher, Crimean Tatar Resource Centre, Kyiv) presented a substantial number of statistics on violations of Crimean Tatar’s rights.

The panel presented a comprehensive insight into the situation of Crimean Tatars in contemporary Russian occupied Crimea as well as in Turkey. The situation of Crimean Tatars was illustrated from different angles, and especially the connection to Turkey was a focus of the panel.