Polozov: Umerov and Chyigoz were relieved from the criminal liability

The deputies of the Mejlis of Crimean Tatars, Ilmi Umerov’s and Akhtem Chiygoz’s release are the consequence of negotiations between Turkey, Russia and Ukraine.

The lawyer Nikolay Polozov told it in his interview to ATR TV channel.

«They are released from a criminal liability. As far as I know, they didn’t talk about me. As for the pardon, I can say for sure that neither Akhtem Chiygoz nor Ilmi Umerov made any statements or petitions for their clemency, so it is difficult for me to judge what form of release was. I know that Recep Tayyip Erdogan has met both with Vladimir Putin and Petro Poroshenko. What agreements were reached and the goals were set, it remained behind closed doors», the lawyer said.

The Ukrainian President's authorized representative for the affairs of the Crimean Tatar people, Mustafa Dzhemilev meanwhile told the website «15 minutes» about the procedure for Umerov’s and Chiygoz’s release.

«Two Russian generals came to Chiygoz to a prison and told about his release as a result of negotiations between Erdogan and Putin. However, there is a formality. He must write a petition for clemency and withdraw the appeal. Akhtem Chiygoz refused writing any pardon applications, but could withdraw his appeal explaining his act that there wouldn’t be any justice in Russia, and he did not expect anything from that petition. The same happened to Ilmi Umerov. He also denied any writings though agreed on withdrawing his appeal with the same interpretation. They were eventually released. There was some decision about releasing our men on a basis of some humanitarian motif under Putin's signature», he said.

Answering the question on any effects after Chiygoz’s release to other case figurants of «February 26» as Mustafa Degermendzhi and Ali Asanov, Dzhemilev replied that they might also be released.

«It is an old case, and they do what they want, so you can’t predict anything. If the main defendant was released, it would be ridiculous, even from the point of Russian justice view, to condemn Degermendzhi and Asanov», he stressed out.

According to Dzhemilev, after Umerov’s and Chiygoz’s arrival to Turkey, they were taken to pass a medical examination. How long they will stay there, it is still unknown.

To remind some facts, the day before it became known that Umerov and Chyigoz flew from the airport in Simferopol to Ankara.