Ukraine's Foreign Affairs Ministry has lodged a protest about the illegal transfer to Russia of several Ukrainian citizens arrested in Russia-occupied Crimea on trumped up terrorism charges in 2016. The ministry demands the immediate return of the detainees to Ukrainian territory.

"Ukraine's Foreign Ministry expresses its outrage in connection with the illegal transfer to Russia of Ukrainian citizens Muslim Aliyev, Emir-Usein Kuku, Vadym Siruk, Enver Bekirov, Refat Alymov, Arsen Dzhepparov who were detained in Russia-occupied Crimea on trumped up terrorism charges," the ministry said on Tuesday.

The ministry said international humanitarian law forbids occupying countries from carrying out forceful transfers of citizens of the occupied state to the territory of the state-occupier. Committing such an act is a punishable offense, according to international law.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister demands Russia cease the practice of illegal transfers of Ukrainian citizens to Russia from Russia-occupied Crimea and Sevastopol and demands the return of Ukrainian citizens to the territory of Ukraine.

As earlier reported, in November 2016 several Ukrainian citizens were arrested and charged with terrorist activities. Russian occupying forces obliged the detainees to undergo obligatory psychological tests.