Ukrainian demonstrators show solidarity with Russian-held political prisoners

Demonstrators gathered Saturday in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv to show solidarity with political prisoners held in Russia.

The demonstration at Independence Square was attended by a significant crowd, including prominent Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar political figures, including President of the Crimean Tatar National Assembly Refat Chubarov, Ukrainian deputy Ahtem Ciygoz and Presidential Permanent Representative of Ukraine for Crimea Anton Korynevych.

Crimean Tatar National Assembly member Gayana Yukselv underlined that the gathering was intended to show solidarity with political prisoners in Russian-annexed Crimea.

“We should never forget about them and continue the struggle for them,” she told Anadolu Agency.

Russian security forces in Crimea arrested five Crimean Tatars, including Nariman Dzhelyal, the deputy head of the Crimean Tatar National Assembly on Sept. 4.

On Sept. 29, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said President Volodymyr Zelensky sought his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s help for the release of Ukrainian citizens detained by Russia.

Recalling that Zelensky and Erdogan held one-on-one and delegation-level talks in New York, where they attended the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, Kuleba said during the meeting, Zelensky handed Erdogan a list of 450 Ukrainian detainees, including Dzhelyal.