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Declaration of Crimean Association in Turkey on
Shutting Down of the ATR TV Channel and Oppression to the Crimean Tatar Media Institutions
02.04.2015
Oppression, persecution and human rights violations are incessantly going on in the Crimea! In addition to deported, kidnapped and murdered Crimean Tatars, the only TV channel broadcasting in Crimean Tatar language – ATR TV Channel, together with Radio Meydan, Lale TV Channel for children and Radio Lider working under ATR, shut down on March 31, 2015, midnight. This issue happened nearly one year after the occupation of the Crimea by the Russian Federation disregarding all humanitarian values. In addition to these, Yañı Dünya and Avdet newspapers owned and run by Crimean Tatars were not given permit to operate in the Crimea, and the Crimean News Agency (QHA) forced to move its headquarters to Kiev.
We are declaring that we are standing behind all our institutions, notably ATR, QHA, Yañı Dünya and Avdet, and our other Media institutions, which have been working reputably and not been turning away from the principles of the Crimean Tatar national movement. We condemn vociferously this direct violation of freedom of expression and press, and the violation of the national rights of Crimean Tatars which are under the protection of the United Nations of which the Russian Federation is a member state. We also vehemently condemn the Russian chauvinism in the Crimea.
The Crimean Tatar People, represented by above mentioned notable institutions closed down today, is still standing and will continue to stand upright. We know that the Russian state ideology, which is trying to clear us away from the Crimea and wants to liquidate our honorable movement, collapsed many times. It should be underlined that Russia’s inhuman manner against our national institutions will not be able to intimidate us.
We, the Crimean Tatar People, know that the Russian government even violating international agreements without hesitation, would not keep its promises, either, and we invite all free world to take real precautions and to issue strong policies against this despotic and outdated state.
