This Week in the News

On Monday, the court case against Vitaly Khramov, leader of the Don Cossack group "Sobol" continued. Khramov is charged with inciting ethnic and religious hatred after showing an inflammatory video presentation at the funeral of Vitaly Shemyakin, whom Khramov attests was killed by Islamic extremists. "Sobol" is a Russian-nationalist and separatist group, and Khramov has been known for his anti-Ukrainian, -Muslim, and -Jewish views and outbursts.

The article states that the prosecution has hit a snag as Khramov's lawyers attest that the evidence against him was obtained illegally. Present at the trial were members of many Cossack and Russian groups in support of Khramov. This situation presents a difficulty for the central government in Kyiv and the Crimean minorities. The support shown by various groups is alarming enough, but should Khramov win the case, that sends the message that hate speech and inciting ethnic and religious hatred is permissible: it is only a short step from hate speech to hate crimes. Should Khramov lose, however, there is also a possibility that the Cossack and Russian groups in support of Khramov might rise up in protest and retaliate against Crimean Ukrainians, Tatars, and Jews. While it appears to be a lose-lose situation, I do not know enough about the case and its proceedings--and the Ukrainian legal system in general--to completely rule out a resolution to this case that would deter future violence and hate speech.

Also, former Mufti of Crimea Nuri Efendi Mustafaiev has passed away. He served as mufti from 1995 to 1999 and was influential in creating Azizler, a group whose aim is to examine and preserve Crimean Tatar culture. The Mufti of Ukraine Sheikh Akhmed Tamim has expressed his condolences but I have yet to find an official statement from either the Kurultay or the Mejlis. Given the tension between Tamim and the Crimean Tatars, this too could be the cause of continued tension.

Articles referenced in this post:

В Симферополе продолжается суд над лидером казачьей общины «Соболь» по обвинению в разжигании межнациональной и религиозной вражды (In Simferopol, the case against the leader of the Cossack group "Sobol" continues on charges of inciting ethnic and religious hatred)

http://www.religion.in.ua/news/ukrainian_news/9158-v-simferopole-prodolzhaetsya-sud-nad-liderom-kazachej-obshhiny-sobol-po-obvineniyu-v-razzhiganii-mezhnacionalnoj-i-religioznoj-vrazhdy.html

Mufti of Crimea Nuri Efendi Mustafaiev Passed Away

http://risu.org.ua/en/index/all_news/other_confessions/islam/41550/