The Mejlis of the Crimean Tatars and all the Tatars of Crimea ask the Ukrainian government to grant them recognition as a indigenous people, deputy head of Mejlis Nariman Dzhelyal told Radio Svoboda, on March 17.

“We know the Russian government is preparing to annex Crimea. This is why we turn to the Parliament of Ukraine with the request to recognize the status of Crimean Tatars as an indigenous people and to immediately ensure the free self-expression of the Crimean Tatars,” said Dzhelyal. He added that an all-Ukrainian referendum could serve as the means to guarantee the rights of the Crimean Tatars to self-determination.