SIMFEROPOL, May 12 /TASS/. Investigators of the Federal Security Service department for Crimea have opened a criminal case against Ilmi Umerov, a member of the banned organization Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, on suspicion of being involved in extremist activities, Crimean Prosecutor Natalya Poklonskaya told TASS on Thursday.

"The Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Crimea has studied a procedural decision of the investigative department of the FSB branch [in Crimea] to initiate criminal proceedings against Ilmi Umerov," Poklonskaya said adding that Umerov was suspected of issuing public calls and being involved in actions designed to change Russia’s territorial integrity.

Umerov has been taken to the local Federal Security Service deparment, which is carrying out investigative actions.

It was established that during his stay in the territory of Ukraine in March 2016, Umerov issued public calls to violate Russia’s territorial integrity in an interview, which was broadcast live by Ukraine’s ATP television channel, Poklonskaya said.

"Umerov’s speech was later posted in the Internet," the Crimean prosecutor stressed.

Umerov held the posts of the head of the Bakhchisaray district administration, the vice-chairman of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the deputy head of the banned organization Mejilis of the Crimean Tatar People at various times.