The head of the Majlis of the Crimea was suspected of separatism
The investigating authorities opened a criminal case of separatism against the head of the Majlis of the Crimean Tatars Refat Chubarov, currently living in Ukraine.
As Crimean Prosecutor Natalya Poklonskaya clarified, the case was initiated under the article “Calls for violating the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation.” Chubarov faces up to five years in prison. The head of the Majlis has already been put on the wanted list.
The reason for the initiation of the case were Chubarov's statements in the media. The head of the Majlis is known as an opponent of the annexation of the Crimea to Russia and has repeatedly advocated the return of the peninsula to Ukraine.
Immediately after the Crimean annexation, the Russian authorities in the region banned Chubarov from entering. They justified their decision by the fact that he allegedly contributed to inciting ethnic hatred.
Chubarov has headed the Majlis of the Crimean Tatars since 2013. 15 May he took the oath of the deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.