Crimean Tatars bemoan their plight as Ukraine hosts summit

By YURAS KARMANAU
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia’s annexation of of Ukraine’s Black Sea peninsula in 2014 evoked tragic memories for Crimean Tatars. Seventy years earlier, Soviet dictator Josef Stalin ordered the mass deportation of their people. Fears of more discrimination and persecution following the Russian takeover have materialized. Some Crimean Tatars have been convicted of extremist charges and sentenced to prison terms ranging from eight to 19 years. The fate of the Muslim ethnic group is one of top issues during an inaugural meeting Monday of the Crimean Platform, an international forum called by Ukraine to build up pressure on Russia.