To governments of all democratic states, international organisations and citizens of the free world

We, the former activists of anticommunist opposition and people of goodwill, declare:

Russia has intruded into the territory of the independent Ukrainian state, breaching borders of a neighbouring country and violating international agreements. According to the information from local Crimean Tatar communities, special military forces of the Russian Federation are acting within the Crimean Autonomy.

1. Statements made by Russia and by Crimean Russians that the peninsula is a ‘native Russian land’ are a historical lie. In 1783, Crimea as an independent Tatar state – Crimean Khanate – was fraudulently annexed and occupied by the Russian Empire and the Communist Russia. In 1918, the country was restituted as the Democratic Republic of Crimea but some months later ceased by bolsheviks. In 1954, Crimea was administratively handed over to the Soviet Ukraine.

For the last few days, an escalating agression against Crimea is going on, and the independence of the Ukrainian state is being trampled down by the Russian army. Notably, the interests are completely ignored of the native inhabitants, the Crimean Tatars, who were subject by Russia to mass ethnic cleansing and deportation from their native land in 1944. The most of Russian population who live in Crimea are expats from Russia and their descendants. The Tatars have clearly declared that they connect their future with the independent Ukraine.

2. The Russian Federation has claimed it to be her duty to ‘protect’ the Russian expats who are allegedly oppressed and persecuted in Crimea as an ethnic minority by the majority communities of Ukrainians and Tatars. It is an outrageous lie used by the government of the Russian Federation as a prerequisite to attack the Ukrainian territory. The truth is that Russian settlers are now the ethnic majority in Crimea, dominating in its political and social life and in the administration of the Crimean Autonomy. The same scenario is now repeated that was used of Transnistria, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. As the legal rights of Ukraine are being breached before our eyes, we address the governments of democratic states, international organisations and the citizens of the free world with the appeal to apply pressure on the Russian Federation to stop its aggression against the neighbouring independent country.

We demand that

– the Russian military forces be totally withdrawn from Ukraine;

– an international comission be established to study the current situation in Crimea;

– the illegal decision on a referendum to be held 25 May 2014 on the further status of that territorial unit of Ukraine, taken under Moscow’s pressure by the Parliament of the Crimean Autonomy, be declared null and void;

– a legal regulation be established on repatriation of all Crimean Tatars from the sites of deportation. A draft of that regulation was rejected by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in 2013;

– the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People be recognised as an official international representative body of the Crimean Tatars on the world stage.

Selim Chazbijewicz, Prof., University of Warmia and Mazury, Tatar activist, Poland

Janina Jadwiga Chmielowska, former fighter for independence, Poland

Piotr Hlebowicz, former fighter for independence, anti-communist, Poland

Karol Gwoździewicz, former fighter for independence, Poland

Maciej Ruszczyński, former fighter for independence, Poland

Magdalena Czachor, former fighter for independence, Poland

Leonardas Vilkas, former fighter for independence, Lithuania

Swietłana Czerwona, Prof., Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Polands

Kazimierz Kubrak, former fighter for independence, Poland

Dominik Jakub Napiwodzki, Poland

Monika Górka, Poland

Leszek Dobrzyński, former fighter for independence, Member of the Sejm, Poland

Bożena Napiwodzka, Poland

Joanna Mroczkowska, Poland

Alina Pawluk, Poland

Ewa Górka, Poland

Damian Tarkowski, Poland

Piotr Kalisz, former fighter for independence, Kraków

Jerzy Jankowski, Norway, former fighter for independence, Fighting Solidarity

Aleksandr Podrabinek, former fighter for independence, journalist, Russia

Vardan Harutyunyan, President of the Center for Rights and Freedom, Armenia

Marcin Mucharski, Poland

Beata Kuna, Poland

Maciej Kuna, Poland

Musa Czachorowski, Muslim Religious Union, publisher, Poland

Mirosław Boruta, Dr., sociologist, Poland

Roman Jarmuszkiewicz, former fighter for independence, Sweden

Wojciech Marchewczyk, former fighter for independence, Poland

Ewa Kubasiewicz, former fighter for independence, France

Adas Jakubauskas, President, Association of Tatar Societies in Lithuania

Józef Baran, former fighter for independence, Poland

Dżenetta Bogdanowicz, Poland

Iza Melika Czechowska, Poland

Radamés Abdülhakim Pavanello

Timur Kurtumerov

Bartłomiej Gotlibowski, Poland

Paweł Nowak, Poland

Magdalena Borkowska, Poland

Paul Kekai Manansala

Maciej Kowaliński, Poland

Kinga Lach, Poland

Taras Laturynskyi, Ukraine

Michał Antonowicz, Poland

Marek Łukaniuk, former fighter for independence, Poland

Adam Kalita, former fighter for independence, Poland

Barbara Łukasik, UK

Saulius Peceliunas, former fighter for independence, Litwa

Aminat Saijewa, Ambassador of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in Lithuania

Mart Niklus, former political prisoner, Estonia

Valeri Kalabugin, former Member of the Congress of Estonia

Stanisław Markowski, former fighter for independence, composer, photographer, Poland

Violetta Kardynał, producer of documentary films, Canada

Piotr Zarębski, film director

Lesya Barankevich, Ukraine

Akhiad Idigov, former Speaker of the Parliament of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria

Gennadiy Savchuk, Ukraine

Czesław Lipka, former fighter for independence, Sydney, Australia

Joanna Radecka, former fighter for independence, Gdynia, Poland

Eugene Savchuk, Ukraine

Jerzy Rojek, former fighter for independence, Poland

Miroslava Іvаnіv, Ukraine

Tadeusz Szymański, Poland

Natalia Nowicka, Poland

Małgorzata Zasada, Poland

Sławomir Karpiński, former fighter for independence, President of the December 13 Association, Poland

Alla Dudayeva, widow of Dzhokhar Dudayev, journalist, poet, painter, Georgia

Krystyna Grzybowska, Poland

Ali Öozenbaş, Crimea, Ukraine

Katarzyna Schejbal, Dereń, Poland

Valery Buibal, former fighter for independence, Minsk, Belarus

Mariusz Witkowski, Poland

Witold Stępień, Poland

Walerian Wiśniewski, Club of the Gazeta Polska, Konstantynów Łódzki, Poland

Marek Chodakiewicz, Poland

Dr Hijran Aliyeva-Sztrauch, Chief Editor of the New Promethee, Poland
Marta Woźniak, Poland
Adam Borowski, former fighter for independence, publisher, Poland
Marcin Mierzejewski, Poland
Myroslava Plevako, Paris, France
Rev. Mirosław Zabrocki, CSSp, Poland
Agnieszka Nadolska, Poland
Oskar Mroczkowski, Poland
Małgorzata Wojtkowska, Poland
Paweł Kukiz, entertainer, Poland
Ewa Glonek, Poland
Nikolay Chumakov, Donetsk, Ukraine
Jacek H. Graff, Kraków, Poland
Tomasz Otocki, journalist, Warsaw, Poland
Bogdan Dragowski, Poland
Karol Kühn, Free Word Association, Poland
Jacek Kazimierski, Vice-President, Solidarity Association 2010, Poland
Jerzy Gawrysiak, Poland
Jacek Bezeg, Poland
Bogumił Zaczyk, Poland
Ak. Andruch, Poland
Anna Stasiak, Poland
Jerzy Stasiak, Poland
Mariusz Tamborski, Poland
Andrzej Werter, former fighter for independence, Poland
Mariusz Nosarzewski, former activist of the Federation of Fighting Youth, Poland
Anna Sztandur, graphic artist, Poland
Eldaniz Yusibov
Janusz Koziarz, Poland
Kazimierz Maciejewski, Free Trade Unions, former fighter for independence, Poland
Marek Skowroński, Poland
Aldona Maria Pawłyk, Doctor of Philosophy, Assistant Professor at the Jagiellonian University, Poland
Ewa Gutek, Representative of the Polish Solidarity in the district No. 1, Vice-President of the National Citizens’ Movement, Poland
Barbara Werbanowska, Poland
Tadeusz Piątek, former fighter for independence, Poland
Kama Michałowska, Poland
Bogusław Dąbrowa, Kostka, Poland
Sheihi Ibba, Oslo, Norway
Zbigniew Skorecki, former fighter for independence, Poland
Dr Hijran Aliyeva-Sztrauch, Chief Editor of the New Promethee, Poland

Marta Woźniak, Poland

Adam Borowski, former fighter for independence, publisher, Poland

Marcin Mierzejewski, Poland

Myroslava Plevako, Paris, France

Rev. Mirosław Zabrocki, CSSp, Poland

Agnieszka Nadolska, Poland

Oskar Mroczkowski, Poland

Małgorzata Wojtkowska, Poland

Paweł Kukiz, entertainer, Poland

Ewa Glonek, Poland

Nikolay Chumakov, Donetsk, Ukraine

Jacek H. Graff, Kraków, Poland

Tomasz Otocki, journalist, Warsaw, Poland

Bogdan Dragowski, Poland

Karol Kühn, Free Word Association, Poland

Jacek Kazimierski, Vice-President, Solidarity Association 2010, Poland

Jerzy Gawrysiak, Poland

Jacek Bezeg, Poland

Bogumił Zaczyk, Poland

Ak. Andruch, Poland

Anna Stasiak, Poland

Jerzy Stasiak, Poland

Mariusz Tamborski, Poland

Andrzej Werter, former fighter for independence, Poland

Mariusz Nosarzewski, former activist of the Federation of Fighting Youth, Poland

Anna Sztandur, graphic artist, Poland

Eldaniz Yusibov

Janusz Koziarz, Poland

Kazimierz Maciejewski, Free Trade Unions, former fighter for independence, Poland

Marek Skowroński, Poland

Aldona Maria Pawłyk, Doctor of Philosophy, Assistant Professor at the Jagiellonian University, Poland

Ewa Gutek, Representative of the Polish Solidarity in the district No. 1, Vice-President of the National Citizens’ Movement, Poland

Barbara Werbanowska, Poland

Tadeusz Piątek, former fighter for independence, Poland

Kama Michałowska, Poland

Bogusław Dąbrowa, Kostka, Poland

Sheihi Ibba, Oslo, Norway

Zbigniew Skorecki, former fighter for independence, Poland

Krzysztof Bzdyl, President, Confederation of Independent Poland 1979-1989, former fighter for independence, Poland

Roman Bielański, former fighter for independence, Free Word Association, Poland

Dżafer Jakubowski, Poland

Mirosław Bogdanowicz, Poland

Lech Zborowski, Poland

Kristina Nejman, former fighter for independence, Bulgaria–Poland

Isa Gambar, ex-Speaker of the Parlament, Azerbaijan

Jerzy Hlebowicz, former fighter for independence, Poland

Hubert Napiórkowski, UK

Beata Gromek, UK

Serena Gonzalez, Portugal

Zora Monterro, Chile

Ronald Momogeeshick Peters, USA

Radosław Sass, Poland

Ramazan Saltuk, Turkey

Stelio Kardami, Greece

Cordella Morris, USA

Michał Antonowicz, Poland

Tomasz Komendziński, Ph.D., Nicolaus Copernicus University, Poland

Mieczysław Dzikowski, Poland

Tatiana Fedorczuk, Germany

Wiktoria Bieńkowska, Poland

Victor Aleynikov, USA

Ignat Lorikov, Ukraine

Sergey Ivaschenko, Ukraine

Andrey Paschenko, Ukraine

Elena Povidaychik, Ukraine

Dmitry Kharchenko, Ukraine

Yuri Redko, Ukraine

Andrey Didkovsky, Ukraine

Marina Tomchuk, Ukraine

Nadezhda Ilina, Ukraine

Viacheslav Via, Ukraine

Olexandr Valov, Ukraine

Pavel Ermachenkov, Ukraine

Vitalij Rysev, Germany

Vasily Korol, Ukraine

Talita M. Bertanha de Freitas, Brazil

Tetyana Epala, Germany

Yuliia Loyik, Ukraine

Jaroslav Garabazhiv, Ukraine

Velichkov Vadim, Ukraine

Diana Attarova, Ukraine

Victor Ivanchenko, Ukraine

Sergej Milejko, Ukraine

Paulina Pryczka, Poland

Yelena Krasnopolskaya, Russia

Yaroslav Komarenko, Ukraine

Karina Karpushina, Ukraine

Tetyana Sviridyuk, Ukraine

Irina Mosiyenko, Ukraine

Svetlana Kurilo, Ukraine

Karina Yeritsyan, Ukraine

Andrey Goncharov, Ukraine

Katarzyna Duda, Poland

Aleksandr Uvechlivy, Ukraine

Dasha Vovk, Ukraine

Gunel Rehimli, Azerbaijan

Petro Makarov, Ukraine

Roman Moshkovskiy, Ukraine

Vitalik Sharlay, Ukraine

Oxana Strus, Ukraine

Mübariz Bədirxanlı, Azerbaijan

Elzara Medzhidova, Ukraine

Vasyl Irkha, Spain

Roman Іvаnіv, Ukraine

Lyudmilla Okhomush, Ukraine

Vitaliy Smoroda, Ukraine

Rebecca Yellowbird, USA

Konstantin Kondrashin, Ukraine

Tamara Krikun, Ukraine

Yuliya Kudryavtseva, Ukraine

Yevgen Zhdanov, Ukraine

Elmir Samedzadeh, Turkey

Olga Grebenyuk, Ukraine

Valeria Bokotei, Ukraine

Yulka Khorova, Ukraine

Mikhail Podanev, Ukraine

Dmitry Nabok, Ukraine

Kostyantyn Pylypchuk, Ukraine

Aleksey Serbinenko, Ukraine

Alla Kolodiy, Ukraine

Igor Oleksyk, Ukraine

Sławomir Błażewicz, Poland

Olga Tiha, Ukraine

Oksana Diada, Ukraine

Sergiy A. Naidyonov, Ukraine

Ivan Koval, Ukraine

Victoria Verba, Ukraine

Fedir Yurchenko,Ukraine

Julia Marchencko, Ukraine

Alex Demchenko, Ukraine

Tatyana Tkachuk, Ukraine

Alyonushka Bereza, Ukraine

Aleksandr Bogorad, Ukraine

Maria Stasenko, Ukraine

Volodimir Ivasyuk, Ukraine

Natali Pus, Ukraine

Dariusz Jasiński, Poland

Nikolay Chumakov, Ukraine

Yura Saladis, Ukraine

Natalia Kislitsa, Ukraine

Barry Miollnir, USA

Tamara Aleksandrovych, Ukraine

Volodymyr Tyshkovets, Ukraine

Mike Prokhorov, Ukraine

Yevgeny Kurochkin, Ukraine

Sergey Lyubchenko, Ukraine

Siarhiej Babareka, Ukraine

Maxym Kostiuchenko, Ukraine

Anzhelika Berezhko, Ukraine

Oksana Petryha, Ukraine

Igor Valeriyevich, Ukraine

Vadim Nechaiev, Ukraine

Elvina Khalilova, Ukraine

Lera Abdul Khair, Ukraine

Valery Pashegorov, Ukraine

Svetlana Pashegorova, Ukraine

Elvina Kerimova, Ukraine

Anatoly Klimenko, Ukraine

Sergey Zhidilev, Ukraine

Alexandr Lomaniy, Ukraine

Katya Burkan, Ukraine

Zuzanna Trojanowska, Germany

Masha Nikolaichuk, Ukraine

Karina Abazyan, Ukraine

Zarema Ibraimova, Ukraine

Boris Zaplava, Ukraine

Elnara Abakarova, Ukraine

Andrii Kudriashov, Ukraine

Ekaterina Blagoveshenskaya, Ukraine

Maciej Gawlikowski, Poland

Andrey Vashenko, Ukraine

Maya Revkevich, Ukraine

Eliza Bartkiewicz, Poland

Tamar Kavtaradze, Ukraine

Małgorzata Zasada, Poland

Jakub Miszczak, Poland

Inna Grinina, Ukraine

Yuri Kovika, Ukraine

Ruslana Mailo, Ukraine

Larisa Sokolova, Ukraine

Oktar Acarsoy, Ukraine

Mustafa Mukhteremov, Russia

Sonia Fritzkowska, Poland

Elina Sockaya, Uzbekistan

Antonina Bilovol, Uzbekistan

Niyare Shevkiyeva, Ukraine

Valentina Mur, USA

Paweł Gładkowski, Poland

Maciej Kowaliński, Poland

Pavlo Ivanyuk, Ukraine

Halyna Kurochkina, Ukraine

Victoria Shygorieva, Norway

Anna Baranowa, Poland

Bogdan Dragan, Ukraine

Denys Pisarev, Ukraine

Joanna Wojciechowska, Poland

Oksana Fanelli, Ukraine

Reyhan Ablekim, Turkey

Aleksey Antropov, Ukraine

Nelli Lesnovski, Ukraine

Kirill Kapustin, Ukraine

Ruslan Asanov, Russia

Nazim Suleimanov, Ukraine

Nadia Poletsckih, Ukraine

Kağan Uğur, Turkey

Konrad Kotlarczyk, Poland

Eldaniz Yusibov, Azerbaijan

Nina Fokina, Ukraine

Andrzej Trutkowski, Poland

Rachel Spencer, USA

Marek Maslowiec, Ireland

Bəhruz Əsədbəyli, Azerbaijan

Ali Nuriyev, South Africa

Kastus Prusau, Belarus

Yana Zanoz, Ukraine

Myroslava Ivaniv, Ukraine

Viktoria Vitkovska, Ukraine

Galyna Borys-Naumchuk, Ukraine

Andrzej Wijas, Poland

Andriy Levitsky, Ukraine

Olga Novokhatska, France

Rose Budd, USA

Olga Lukianenko, Ukraine

Aimits Seresa, Turkey

Daria Lantsuta, Ukraine

Denys Pisarev, Ukraine

Anne Ross, USA

Djemile Abduraimova, Turkey

Pavlo Ardanov, Ukraine

Liv Elin Hartvigsen, Norway

Nela Matusik, Poland

Iryna Loyik, Ukraine

Yuriy Bodnaruk, Ukraine

Arif Cekderi, Turkey

Tiffany Byrd James, USA

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