Ukraine must carry out criminal investigation into deportation of Crimean Tatars in 1944 - expert

15:23, 09.05.2016 1 min read

Ukraine must conduct a criminal investigation into the deportation of Crimean Tatars in 1944, head of the Institute of Legislation at the Verkhovna Rada Borys Babyn has stated.

"Can modern Ukraine conduct such an investigation? Paradoxically, but it can and should [do this]. The Convention of 1949 [the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide] not only gives the definition of genocide but also obliges member states to resist genocide and investigate crimes of genocide. Therefore, according to this Convention, the investigation into the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people is the direct responsibility of Ukraine," he said, when presenting the communications campaign "All of us are Crimean Tatars on May 18" in Kyiv.

According to the expert, Ukraine has a "very clear, legal and material component" for conducting such an investigation.