18 October 2025
Media Outlet Ukrainska Pravda Publishes a Post by Human Rights Defender Mumine Saliyeva
Repression and genocide in Crimea continue. The Russian occupation authorities are detaining Crimean Tatar women.
“The mothers couldn’t stop rejoicing over the new toddler-group teacher. The kids were eager to go to kindergarten — and didn’t want to leave,” women from the village of Kholmivka said today outside the courthouse, where a pre-trial measure (a measure of restraint) was being decided for 19-year-old Nasiba Saidova.
“My Elviza is among the top seven candidates for a master’s program at Crimean Federal University (CFU), majoring in Management,” said Elvira khanim, the mother of 20-year-old Elviza, now sitting on the defendant’s bench.
“During the search, Fevziye pulled out her school certificate for the FSB officers — she’s still just a child,” recounted Elianora khanim.
“And when will Mom come back? Did they take her away like Dad? Yesterday we spent the whole evening trying to distract little Alime, who kept looking for her mother,” said Selime through tears — the sister of Esma Nimetulaeva, a mother of five.
On Tuesday evening, Esma wrote me a message asking about the health of an elderly woman who had been hospitalized after a stroke. “What can I do? How can I help?” Esma asked.
I reread those lines and realize that just hours later, attackers burst into her home — the home of a noble woman who thought only about how to be of use to others.
In a healthy state, the police and law enforcement guard the law, respect it, and uphold it, ensuring justice for citizens and for society as a whole. But looking at the FSB reports — breaking down doors at night, denying access to lawyers, violating humanitarian principles and the rights of minors, bringing along their own “attesting witnesses” with no proper credentials, planting books, failing to confer proper procedural status on detainees, and then loudly proclaiming in press releases “women ‘terrorists’” — no sane person could call those actions lawful.
And yes. Heavily armed security forces stormed the homes of Crimean Tatar women, branding them with sweeping clichés. Women who had no weapons, no ammunition, no plans to seize power — just devices, books on pedagogy and management, and children’s stories about prophets. Dangerous, right? Seriously, guys?
The “fight against terrorism” has itself become terrorism. Statistically, there’s now one political prisoner for every thousand Crimean Tatars. That is repression — and genocide. More than a hundred prisoners are fathers, sons, brothers. And now — mothers, daughters, sisters?
Within our own community, without any outside pseudo-experts, we will decide for ourselves what books to read, how to revive our culture and raise our children, how to defend our values and preserve them for future generations. We are united; our empathy and drive make us even stronger.
No propaganda or lies will turn people against each other. Attempts to instil fear in the nation and distance it from political prisoners and their families have failed in this repressive laboratory.
Last night was the first one our dear ones were to spend in detention centres. Yes, their children, parents, husbands, friends are no longer beside them. No garden, no gate, no pomegranate tree, no apple tree, no morning birdsong, no wave washing the shore, nor the little trophies gathered along the way — shells and stones of every shape and shade.
All that remains here, in freedom. But faith in the Almighty, His care, beautiful patience, our love, prayers, and support remain with them — beyond bars and distances. These are what make you free, wherever you are.
For Allah, everything is easy to change. So let the believers place their trust in Him.
Original: https://www.pravda.com.ua/columns/2025/10/17/8003107/