In Simferopol, editorial office of Medzhlis newspaper was searched

On September 16, in Simferopol officers of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation conducted a search in the building of Medzhlis, the representative body of the Crimean Tatar people. They also searched the editorial office of the newspaper "Avdet", Medzhlis’ printed medium, whose office is located in the building of Medzhlis. According to the Medzhlis staff, the officers entered the newspaper’s editorial office and would not any of its staff members, including its editor-in-chief, Shevket Kaibullayev, in.

Journalists on site are not allowed to make photos or record videos under a threat of arrest. The police officers record journalists’ names and demand the accreditation of the Russian Federation. They demand that journalists do not approach the building.

During the recent weeks, a lot of Crimean Muslims have been subjected to inspections or searches. The search is for forbidden literature.

On September 15, in Simferopol the building of Medzhlis of the Crimean Tatar people was attacked. It was surrounded by 6 masked men wearing military uniform and carrying automatic rifles and about 10 police officers. They had a prison transport van with them. They would not answer why they surrounded the building. They also did not introduce themselves or mention the agency they belong to and on whose order they surround the building.

In June, the editor-in-chief of the Crimean Tatar newspaper “Avdet” Shevket Kaibullayev, was summoned to the prosecutor’s office of Simferopol as a part of inspection of violations of the requirements of the Law of the Russian Federation “On Prevention of Extremist Activities” by the editors of the newspaper “Avdet”. In July, Roskomnadzor (Federal Service For Supervision Of Communications, Information Technology, And Mass Media) received a complaint on the newspaper «Avdet» from a man named Rinat Shaimardanov, who accused the newspaper of printing extremist materials. On July 24, Shevket Kaibullayev was summoned to the press service of the local department of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation to discuss this complaint.