This is stated in the appeal of the Congress to the world community and the United Nations, reports “Krym.Realii“.

The appeal, adopted on Sunday, 2 August, said that after the occupation of Crimea by Russia in 1783, Russia has systematically pressured representatives of the Crimean Tatar community to leave the peninsula.

“During the XIX-XX centuries over 1.5 million Crimean Tatars were forced to leave their homeland. During the domination of the Soviet Union not only entire intellectual class and the elements of intangible cultural heritage was destroyed, but also representatives of the Crimean Tatars deported from their home on May 18, 1944. Almost half of the people deported under tragic circumstances and conditions of genocide died, “- the statement says.

Also the appeal noted that the Soviet Union used every opportunity to prevent Crimean Tatars from returning to Crimea and make them stay in places of deportation.

“Today the Russian Federation inherited legacy of Tsarist Russia and the Soviet Union, when 28 February 2014, ignoring all norms of international law and human rights, annexed the Crimean peninsula. Since then and until now Russia implements systematic policy for ignoring the fundamental freedoms of Crimean Tatars, their forced emigration from the Crimea, rapid assimilation pressure, murder, prison, deportation of those trying to resist and oppose its actions “, – reads the appeal by the Congress.

Recall that August 1-2 in the capital of Turkey World Congress of Crimean Tatars is held. The meeting is held not in the homeland of Crimean Tatars in the Crimea because of persecution by Russian security services. The leaders of Crimean Tatars – Mustafa Dzhemilev and Refat Chubarov – were banned from entering the peninsula.

Earlier, leader of the Crimean Tatars Mustafa Dzhemilev said that after the annexation of the Crimea 10,000 Crimean Tatars left the peninsula.