Olga Smirnova, a political activist from St. Petersburg, has been charged with ‘justifying terrorism’ over a picket in defence of four recognized Crimean Tatar political prisoners from Alushta. This is a frightening precedent since Russia is already abusing ‘terrorism’ legislation to target civic activists and ‘religious dissidents’ in occupied Crimea. Now it has adopted the same weapon of persecution against those who protest against entirely fictitious terrorism charges.
Crimean Platform
Russia's War Against Ukraine
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Halya Coynash: Activist faces ‘terrorism’ charges for defending Crimean Tatars
A man holds Crimean Tatar flag during celebrate Crimean Tatar Flag Day in central Kyiv on June 26, 2021.
