On the third anniversary of the events of February 26, we suggest you to read the first part of the report on “February 26 criminal case”, prepared by the International expert group. It is Accompanied by a special video prepared jointly with Hromadske TV.

On 26 February 2014, two rallies organized by the party “Russian Unity” and the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People were held near the building of Supreme Council of Crimea (the ARC SC) in Simferopol. The objectives of the announced rallies in fact reflected two principally different views on the status of Crimea.

On the one side, the rally participants comprised representatives of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, other pro-Ukrainian activists, fans of “Tavria” football club of Simferopol. And representatives of the “Russian Unity” party and their allies and supporters, members of the so-called “People’s Militia of Crimea” as well as the so-called Cossack organizations of the other side. The organizers informed law enforcement agencies about the announced events in advance. Over 500 law enforcement officers were summoned to ensure the public order.

During the rally, two people died, while three other protesters were injured. Aer the occupation of Crimea the Russian Federation authorities started to prosecute some participants of the “pro-Ukrainian” rally of 26 February 2014 from among the Crimean Tatars.

In December 2015, a coalition of civil society organizations decided to establish the International Expert Group on the preparation of Part 1 of the Report “Reconstruction and legal analysis of the events of 26 February 2014 at the building of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in Simferopol”.

We suggest you to read the short version of Part 1 of the report “Reconstruction and legal analysis of the events of February 26, 2014 in front of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in the city. Simferopol”

Short review of Part 1 of the Report can be found here