Rustem Umerov

In July 2019, in the snap parliamentary elections to the Verkhovna Rada, he was elected People's Deputy of Ukraine from the Holos party.[7]

Rustem Umerov is a Secretary of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Human Rights, Deoccupation and Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories in Donetsk, Luhansk Oblast and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the City of Sevastopol, National Minorities and Interethnic Relations. Deputy Head of the Permanent Delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Umerov co-chairs the group for inter-parliamentary relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, co-chair of the group for inter-parliamentary relations with the Republic of Turkey. Since December 2020, he has been co-chair of the Crimea Platform parliamentary association.

During his work as an MP, he co-authored almost 100 bills with his colleagues.[8] Initiated a statement by the Verkhovna Rada on the illegitimacy of Russia's all-Russian vote on amendments to occupied Crimea.[9] Initiator of the bill on the abolition of the Crimean free economic zone.[10]

He is working to restore the historical and political rights of Crimean Tatars at the state level. Actively lobbies for the adoption of two important bills for the Crimean Tatars: on indigenous peoples and the status of the Crimean Tatar people. Initiated the adoption of a Presidential Decree granting state status to certain religious holidays, including Ramadan Bayram and Kurban Bayram.

He is one of the initiators of the construction of 1000 apartments for internally displaced Crimean Tatars and privileged categories of citizens of Ukraine with the support of Turkey.[11]  In early April 2021, the presidents of Ukraine (Volodymyr Zelenskyy) and Turkey (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) agreed to begin the construction of apartments. The Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Oleksii Reznikov and the Minister of Environment and Urban Planning of Turkey Murat Kurum signed an agreement in which the Turkish side stated its intention to build 500 apartments: 200 were planned to be built in Mykolaiv, 200 in Kherson, 100 in Kyiv.[12]

Rustem Umerov states that Ukraine will not supply water there while the occupation of Crimea continues. Because Russia has violated international law, it is responsible for the humanitarian needs of the people of Crimea.[13]

In May 2020, he was one of the authors of the law on the payment of hospital bills to physicians because of COVID-19, regardless of the length of service and at 100% of the average salary.[14]

In September 2020, together with other deputies, he initiated a resolution to the government on the redistribution of money from the [[Fund to Fight COVID-19 to ensure a safe educational process and quality education in quarantine.[15]

Umerov is one of the authors of the bill, which establishes the procedure for recognition as a stateless person. This law will allow such persons to legally stay on the territory of Ukraine and obtain a document certifying their identity and confirming the legality of residence on the territory of Ukraine.[16] The law came into force on July 18, 2020.

He collaborated on a bill that exempts internally displaced persons from paying tourist tax for living in temporary accommodation was submitted to parliament and approved.[17] On October 12, 2020, the President signed the law.

Deputy Head of the Permanent Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.[18][19]

Co-chair of the group for inter-parliamentary relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, co-chair of the group for inter-parliamentary relations with the Republic of Turkey.[18]

In May 2020, Umerov initiated an appeal to the UN, the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assemblies of the Council of Europe, the OSCE, NATO, the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, and governments and parliaments of the world to honor the victims of the genocide of the Crimean Tatar people and condemn Russia's violations of the rights and freedoms of Crimean Tatars[20].. The appeal was supported by 310 deputies [28].

In January 2021, as part of a delegation to the PACE winter session, he raised the issue of violation of the rights of Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars in Crimea by the Russian occupiers. The point is that Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars, due to their ethnic affiliation and Ukrainian position, are subject to inspections by the occupation administration. This results in repression and illegal sentences. Another manifestation of ethnic profiling is the failure to provide medical care to Kremlin political hostages.[21]

He also raised the issue of compulsory vaccination by Russia of our citizens in the Crimea with Russian vaccine, which did not pass the third stage of clinical trials.[22]

Rustem Umerov regularly holds meetings with international partners to inform about systemic human rights violations, including Crimean Tatars in the temporarily occupied Crimea.[23][24][25]

In December 2020, the Crimea Platform as established in the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's national parliament. Rustem Umerov was elected co-chairman of the association together with Mustafa Dzhemilev, Ahtem Chiygoz, Yelyzaveta Yasko, and Vadym Halaichuk. The purpose of the association is to form and implement a parliamentary track within the framework of a unified state strategy of de-occupation and reintegration of Crimea, creation of an inter-parliamentary assembly to advocate the restoration of control over parts of the Black and Azov Seas.[26][27]  

Prior to that, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy initiated the creation of the Crimea Platform, which will coordinate international efforts to protect the rights of Crimeans and de-occupy the peninsula. The United States, Canada, The United Kingdom, Turkey, Moldova, and Slovakia then agreed to participate in the platform.[28]

The Crimea Platform is drafting about 20 bills concerning the annexed peninsula regarding its indigenous peoples, on the status of the Crimean Tatar people, and on amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine on Crimean issues. There are also ideas for bills on water supply, on political prisoners, on the abolition of the Crimean free economic zone with Russia.[29]

In 2017, Umerov facilitated the release of two Kremlin political prisoners, Crimean Tatars Ahtem Chiygoz and Ilmi Umerov.[30]

In 2020, from the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada, he initiated the establishment of an Interdepartmental Coordination Center, which will focus exclusively on the release of Ukrainian political prisoners.[31]

Umerov constantly communicates with the state authorities of Ukraine on the exchange of Crimean political prisoners and prisoners of war.[32] In July 2020, he initiated a statement by the Verkhovna Rada on the illegitimacy of an all-Russian vote on amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation on Crimean territory.[33] The initiative was supported by 306 deputies.[34]

He initiated a parliamentary appeal to the UN, the European Parliament, the PACE, the OSCE Parliamentary Assemblies, NATO, the BSEC, and governments and parliaments condemning the temporary occupation of Crimea and Sevastopol, violations of human rights and freedoms, and the release of Ukrainian political prisoners. The appeal was supported by 314 deputies.[35]

In March 2020, Umerov initiated parliamentary hearings on the de-occupation and reintegration of Crimea and Sevastopol. The purpose of the hearings is to develop a single strategic document on the return of Crimea and Sevastopol to Ukraine. This document should be part of the Development Strategy of Ukraine-2030.[36]

In September 2020, Umerov joined a group to develop a state strategy for the de-occupation of Crimea and Sevastopol, which was established under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. His candidacy was supported by the parliamentary Human Rights Committee.[37] On March 24, President Volodymyr Zelensky approved a decree of the National Security and Defense Council on the strategy of de-occupation of Crimea.

Rustem Umerov actively supports his Crimean Tatar compatriots in Ukraine and abroad.[38] Since 1999 he has been participating in various student, public and charitable events, both individually and jointly with public organizations.[39]

In 2007 he was one of the founders of the Crimean Tatars Fellowship, which focuses on the development of regional representations of Crimean Tatars in Ukraine, as well as strengthening social, cultural, and informational dialogue within the Crimean Tatar community in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.[40]

In 2007, he also co-founded the international organization Bizim Qırım, which aimed to preserve national interests and promote the restoration of political, socio-economic, cultural, linguistic, and religious rights of the Crimean Tatar people.[41]

From 2011 to 2013 he was a co-founder and president of the Crimean Development Fund,[42] which aimed to promote the social activity of Crimean residents, forming a responsible community and overcoming the consequences of one of the disasters of the 20th century - genocide deportation in 1944.[43]

In 2012 he became a co-founder and board member of the Crimean International Business Association.[44] Among the goals of the organization were assistance in developing and implementing a strategy for the development of the Crimean economy, supporting small and medium-sized businesses, introducing promising innovative technologies, developing international cooperation, and improving the investment climate of Crimea.[45]

In 2012, the Umerov family initiated the restoration of the Orta Cami Mosque, an architectural monument of the 16th and 17th centuries in Bakhchysarai (Crimea).[46] Funding was provided by the Umerov family. The implementation of the initiative started within the framework of the national project for the restoration of the cultural and historical heritage of Crimea. On August 16, 2013, the historically reconstructed mosque, which had been inactive for about 95 years, was inaugurated.[47]

In 2014, he was one of the founders of the “Evkaf” Charitable Foundation, established to assist in the development of Muslim communities and the institution of charity, as well as to promote [[civic activism.[48]

In 2014, he assisted in the creation of the Cultural Heritage Fund. The fund carries out its activities in the interests of the indigenous peoples of Crimea, as well as protects the rights and fundamental freedoms of citizens in education, culture, and art, protection of cultural heritage, health, and environment, social protection, development of territorial communities.

In 2013, he co-founded the ASTEM Foundation. The mission-led foundation aims to improve public life by supporting initiatives in the areas of social innovation, regional communities, education, medicine, sports, culture, human rights, and religious freedom as part of the organization's vision and mission, which anticipate new challenges in the future. The Foundation is one of the donors of the Ukrainian Emerging Leaders program at Stanford University,[49] which is designed to train Ukrainian politicians, lawyers, social entrepreneurs, businessmen, and community leaders. The purpose of the program: the development of leadership skills and strengthening the scientific base of fellows to participate in solving development problems in Ukraine.[50]

In May 2020, thanks to the support of the ASTEM Foundation, the raid tug "Yany Kapu" of the Ukrainian Navy, damaged by the Russian military during the Kerch Strait incident, was repaired.[51] The raid tug was captured by Russia in November 2018 near the Kerch Strait.

He is a co-founder and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Crimean National Welfare Fund. It is an international charitable organization that funds strategic national programs and supports the least socially protected Crimean Tatars.[11]

Among the Foundation's projects: construction of the Crimean Tatar cultural and educational complex in Kyiv with the support of Turkey. The complex will be a public, cultural, social, educational, and spiritual center of the Crimean Tatars and Muslims of Ukraine as a whole. The construction of the Cathedral Mosque and Spiritual Center, an ethnographic center with a national museum and conference hall, schools, restaurants, and a recreation area are planned.[52]

Umerov was present at during peace negotations between Russia and Ukraine in March 2022 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to the independent newspaper Meduza, Umerov was accused by the Kremlin and Russian state-controlled media of being an American spy, and deliberately prolonging the negotiations to Ukraine's advantage.[53] On 28 March, it was reported that Umerov, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, and another lawmaker all suffered symptoms similar to poisoning after the event, including "red eyes, constant and painful tearing, and peeling skin on their hands and faces".[54] The three negotiators flew to Istanbul, Turkey, to receive medical attention for their symptoms.[54] However, Umerov later wrote on Facebook that he was "fine", calling for people to not trust "unverified information".[55][56][57]