Russian authorities banned Mejlis (executive council of the Crimean Tatars) President Refat Chubarov from entering Russian territory over the next five years. Prosecutor General of Crimea Natalia Poklonskaya briefed Chubarov on the decision as the Tatar leader was on the Crimean-Ukrainian border. Chubarov had left Crimea for a conference in Ukraine, Crimean News Agency reports.

The note delivered by Poklonskayia to Chubarov argued the decision on the grounds that the Mejlis President was dedicated to "activities that incite ethnic hatred," according to RFE/RL. Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov supported the decision, ITAR-TASS says: "Everybody trying today to sow ethnic strife in the Republic of Crimea should be isolated either way," he said.

Chubarov totally denied such allegations and said that the decision is yet another example of how the Russian Federation aims to put an end to the collective rights of the Crimean Tatar people. The ban is a "small piece of the huge injustice that is now taking place in Crimea," Chubarov argued.

According to The Moscow Times, the order against Chubarov could have been triggered after the Tatar leader had participated in a public discussion labeled "Realizing the Right of the Crimean Tatars to Self-Determination on Their Historic Land - in Crimea."

The Ukrainian government, meanwhile, said the decision reflects Russia's "chauvinist" policies "against the Crimean Tatars."

Second Tatar leader in exile in three months

The decision against Chubarov is the same one that was issued in April against the historic leader of the Crimean Tatars, Mustafa Qirimoglu (aka Mustafa Djemilev). Qirimoglu announced two weeks ago that Crimean Tatars will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights because of "violations of human rights" being committed by Russia in Crimea. Qirimoglu noted that those Tatars not willing to accept Russian citizenship will be considered foreigners in their historical land.

The Mejlis called to boycott the referendum on secession that Crimean authorities held in March, which resulted in the annexation of the peninsula by Russia. Tatars authorities, who were in favor of keeping the peninsula in Ukraine, argue that Russia does not and will not respect the national rights of the Crimean Tatars.

(Image: Refat Chubarov / picture by Tatarchuk.)