Chubarov: Release of political prisoners in Crimea and Russia was key during meeting with Erdoğan

Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Refat Chubarov said this on the air of the Dom TV channel, Ukrinform reports.

Chubarov noted that the meeting of the Crimean Tatar people representatives with Erdoğan had lasted about an hour and a half. Chairman Chubarov, MPs Mustafa Dzhemilev, Akhtem Chiygoz, Rustem Umerov, and First Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Emine Dzheppar were present at the meeting.

As noted, the release of persons illegally detained in the occupied Crimea and Russia was one of the main talking points.

More than two years passed since the last prisoner exchange, "the release process has been deadlocked", many Ukrainian political prisoners were sentenced to 19 years in prison and were "relocated and scattered throughout the Russian Federation."

"And we said that many in Ukraine, particularly in the occupied Crimea, expect progress in this issue from Erdoğan's interaction with Putin," Chubarov said.

In general, the Chairman of the Mejlis praised Erdoğan's visit to Ukraine as a confirmation of the systematic and consistent rapprochement between Ukraine and Turkey and Turkey's support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

As reported, on February 3, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan paid an official visit to Kyiv.

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