Akhtem Chiygoz

The deputy chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Akhtem Chiygoz was detained on 29 January 2015 on suspicion of organising mass riots in a case opened in connection with the clashes in Simferopol on 26 February 2014. According to the investigation, on that day unidentified persons, "ignoring the lawful demands of the authorities to stop unlawful actions, began to call on the persons of Crimean Tatar nationality present to disobey the lawful demands of the authoritie and to use violence". They allegedly "also began to encourage those gathered by their example of unlawful behaviour to commit the above actions, which led to the emergence of mass riots, accompanied by violence against representatives of the movement "Russian Union" and the self-defense movement of Crimea, as well as damage and destruction of property". As a result, unidentified persons of Crimean Tatar nationality, yielding to the calls of their leaders, allegedly took part in the riots, used physical force against representatives of "Russian Unity" and the self-defense movement of Crimea, broke into the building of the Verkhovna Rada of Crimea, where they damaged property, causing material damage in the amount exceeding 600 thousand rubles (US$6,500).

Chiygoz was put in a pre-trial detention centre. In May 2015, he was transferred to a punishment cell for a few days, in connection with which he was declared a hunger strike, the official reason for which was violation of the detention regime. On 11 September 2017, he was sentenced to eight years in a general regime penal colony. On 25 October 2017, it became known that Chiygoz had been pardoned by the President of Russia. He left Russia for Turkey.