Photo exhibition about Crimean political prisoners and film about Nariman Dzhelyal shown in Prague

The photo exhibition “Stories from occupied Crimea” opened in Prague, and a documentary about imprisoned First Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People Nariman Dzhelyal was shown. The events took place at Kavárna Langhans and were organized by Human Rights Centre ZMINA together with Prague Civil Society Centre. 

Since Russia occupied Crimea in 2014, the invaders have been persecuting Crimean Tatars and local activists for their pro-Ukrainian views. More than 180 people, mostly Crimean Tatars, were arrested for political reasons. In 2014–2016, 43 residents of Crimea were kidnapped, 11 of them are considered missing. Repression against the local population continues. 

The photo exhibition told the visitors stories of the life of the people who unexpectedly found themselves under occupation and were forced to live in it.   

Photo exhibition “Stories from occupied Crimea” is a unique chronicle of life on the peninsula illegally annexed by Russia and documentary evidence of repression against Ukrainian citizens, in particular representatives of the Crimean Tatar people, recorded by Ukrainian reporters Alina Smutko, Taras Ibragimov, and Alyona Savchuk. They were banned from entering the Crimean peninsula and the Russian Federation for a period of 10 to 35 years for their journalistic activity. 

Moreover, the documentary “Nariman: The Voice of Crimea” was shown during the exhibition opening. 

At the time of the illegal annexation of Crimea, Nariman Dzhelyal was the Deputy 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 occupying power 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, as well as two other activists, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on fabricated charges. 

After the screening, a discussion was held with the film director, the photo exhibition authors, and organizations working to protect human rights in Crimea. 

The discussion was attended by: Anna Tsyhyma, director of the film “Nariman: The Voice of Crimea”; Alyona Savchuk, photojournalist whose works were presented at the exhibition; Tetiana Pechonchyk, head of the board of Human Rights Centre ZMINA; Gulnara Abdulayeva, Crimean Tatar and historian. The event was moderated by Olha Kovalska, a representative of the Prague Civil Society Centre. 

The event participants called for the release of political prisoners, dissemination of information about their tragic stories, documentation of similar violations of human rights and subsequent prosecution of the guilty, and support for Crimean political prisoners and their families.