Achtem Czyjgozu
The vice-president of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis. Like Ilmi Umerow, he did not leave the Crimea despite the obvious risk. On January 29, 2015, he was detained in Simferopol. He was accused of “organizing mass riots” in Simferopol on February 26, 2014. The last large demonstration of Tatars and Ukrainian activists took place then in defence of the territorial integrity of Ukraine. There was a scuffle with pro-Russian supporters near the buildings of Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
Czyjgozu's wife and his lawyers are convinced that the trial took place because of political order. The prosecution witnesses were interrogated incognito using videoconference technology. The accused also testified by means of videoconference calls from the custody. The court was afraid that Czyjgozu’s presence in the courtroom would have had a bad effect on the trial.
