Ilmi Umerov
the vice-chairman of the self-government organization of the Crimean Tatars, banned in Russia, called Majlis. In the 90s he was a deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, and later he became the deputy Prime Minister and vice-chairman of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
From 2005, he was the chairman of the Bakhchysarai area. During the annexation, he appealed to the residents not to take part in the referendum on 16 March 2014, in which people decided on connecting Crimea to Russia.
In 2016, the FSB initiated a criminal proceeding against Umerov. He was accused of violating the territorial integrity of Russia, which he was about to make when he appeared in the Crimean Tatar television ATR in Kiev.
He later explained that in fact he was in favour of restoring the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation, which Russia had violated herself by the annexation of Crimea.
He was sent to the enforced psychiatric check-ups. Later he was laughing that he was the only person in Crimea who had a certificate that he was normal.
On September 27, he was convicted by the Russian district court in Simferopol for two years of a restricted prison colony and a two-year ban on public activities.
After the verdict, Ilmi Umerov said that he remains a supporter of the return of Crimea to Ukraine - I do not change my beliefs. I believe that annexation is annexation, occupation is occupation, and present authorities are criminals.
The Russian authorities, however, let him free until the Court of Appeal issued its sentence.
On September 27, he was convicted by the Russian district court in Simferopol for two years of a restricted prison colony and a two-year ban on public activities.
After the verdict, Ilmi Umerov said that he remains a supporter of the return of Crimea to Ukraine - I do not change my beliefs. I believe that annexation is annexation, occupation is occupation, and present authorities are criminals.
The Russian authorities, however, let him free until the Court of Appeal issued its sentence.
