“Nariman: the voice of Crimea”: ZMINA organises a screening of the film in Brussels

Human Rights Centre ZMINA in cooperation with the Permanent Representation of Poland to the European Union will hold a screening about the life of the Crimean political prisoner Nariman Dzhelyal followed by a discussion of the experts advocating for human rights in Crimea. The event will take place in the Permanent Representation of Poland to the EU (Av. de Cortenbergh 16, Brussels) on 24 May at 15:00.

On 18 May Ukraine marks the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Genocide of the Crimean Tatar People. On this day, back in 1944, the Soviet authorities began the forced deportation of the indigenous people of Crimea from their only homeland. Nowadays, Russian occupation authorities have been trying to deprive Crimean Tatars of their home for the second time – since 2014.

Nariman Dzhelyal became their voice.

At the time of the illegal annexation of Crimea, Nariman Dzhelyal was the Vice-Chairman of the Mejlis, the representative body of the Crimean Tatar people. He stayed in Crimea under Russian occupation and did everything he could to help those who had put their trust in him. When the Russian occupation authority banned the Mejlis in 2016, Nariman continued his work to support the families of political prisoners and raise awareness about human rights violations in Crimea. In 2021 he and two other activists were sentenced on fabricated charges from 13 to 17 years in prison.

Guests of the event will watch a documentary about Nariman Dzhelyal – “Nariman: The Voice of Crimea” – directed by Anna Tsyhyma. The film is in Ukrainian and Russian with English subtitles.

The screening will be opened by words by Permanent Representative of Poland to the EU Andrzej Sadoś and Member of the European Parliament Anna Fotyga. It will be followed by the discussion about the destiny of Nariman Dzhelyal and suppression of Crimean Tatars on the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimea.

Moderation: Nora Wehofsits, Human Rights House Foundation

• Tetiana Pechonchyk, Head of the Board of the Human Rights Centre ZMINA
• Leviza Dzhelyal, wife of Mr Nariman Dzhelyal (online)
• Gul’nara Abdulaieva, historian and journalist with Crimean Tatar roots, heroine of the film

Registration is opened here.