Chechnya is among the Russian regions introducing a drone-piloting standard under the GTO physical fitness programme as part of the federal project Na Vysote! (“At Altitude!”). According to the Vedomosti newspaper, the initiative aims to “popularise” drone piloting among young people and train specialists for the unmanned aircraft industry. Russian officials have also openly acknowledged that the skills acquired could be used in the war against Ukraine.
In pre-trial detention center No. 2 in Simferopol, prisoners were beaten, including on the head and with a stun gun. They were also forced to repeat the Russian anthem by heart every day. Crimean Tatar Ekrem Krosh, who suffered among others, spoke about this at a speech in the Southern District Military Court in Rostov.
When Krosh refused to sing the Russian anthem, they started beating him. At the same time, the guards were drunk. Many of them often used stun guns on prisoners.
After Ekrem Krosh wrote a complaint to the head of the pre-trial detention center, Nikolai Ryabov, he called him into his office and hit him twice in the face, leaving a bruise.
The Crimean Tatar is accused of participating in the Islamic party Hizb ut-Tahrir, which was recognized by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation as a “terrorist organization.” At the same time, it operates freely on the territory of Ukraine and most countries of the world. According to human rights activists, members of the organization are being persecuted not for preparing a coup and terrorism, but for public actions against political repression in Crimea and criticism of the Russian authorities.