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Cell leader of Mejlis of Crimean Tatar People apprehended in Crimea

The suspect was detained in March while crossing the Russian state border disguised as a refugee

SIMFEROPOL, April 7. /TASS/. A leader of one of the Ukrainian cells of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People (outlawed in Russia) was detained in Crimea where he arrived to obtain a Russian passport, the press service of the FSB Directorate for the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol told TASS on Thursday.

"In the Republic of Crimea, the members of Russia’s FSВ detained a leader of one of the Ukrainian cells of an outlawed extremist organization, the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People. He is suspected of participating in the activity of an illegal armed formation, the Noman Chelebidzhikhan Crimean Tatar Battalion, acting on the territory of a foreign state with the goals contradicting the interests of the Russian Federation," the statement said.

Earlier, it was reported that a Ukrainian citizen born in 1971 suspected of participating in the activity of an illegal armed formation was detained by the FSB. The FSB reported that as a member of the armed formation, the detainee was supplying the battalion with material goods, uniforms and food products. He also repeatedly participated in anti-Russian acts in the Kherson Region, including during the period of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.

It was specified that the suspect was detained in March while crossing the Russian state border disguised as a refugee.

"The Investigative Department of the FSB Directorate for the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol opened a criminal case under Part 2, Article 208 of Russia’s Criminal Code against the detainee. The article provides for up to 15 years of incarceration. Currently, the Kievsky District Court of the city of Simferopol imposed on him a restrictive measure of a two-month detention," the press release said.

On April 26, 2016, Russia’s Supreme Court declared the Mejlis an extremist organization. The extremist organization’s activities are outlawed in Russia.

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