Russian occupiers intensify pressure on Crimean Tatar media

In temporarily occupied Crimea, the Simferopol “district court” found the Crimean Tatar newspaper “Qırım” guilty of “discrediting” the Russian Federation’s armed forces, human rights organization Crimean Process reports. 

The occupiers initiated an administrative case against the newspaper due to a text about partial mobilization in Crimea in September 2022 that led to the illegal conscription of many Crimean Tatars into the Russian army. The “court” deemed the publication contained “false information” and fined the newspaper 300,000 rubles (3,360 USD) for “discrediting the Russian army.” 

On February 22, 2024, the occupation authorities of Crimea raided the house of the Crimean Tatar activist Lutfiie Zudiieva and fined her for “abusing the freedom of mass information.” They searched her home for distributing “Radio Liberty” materials without labeling the media as a “foreign agent.”

As reported earlier, occupants in Crimea illegally detained 14 people, including two journalists.

RELATED: Journalist Mustafa Ametov on Crimean Tatar Literature’s Vital Role in Language Preservation 

Copy editing: Joy Tataryn, Terra Friedman King

Cover photo: avdet.org