Remzi Ilyasov: M. Ben-Naim’s Accusing Me of Anti-Semitism Is Veriest Nonsense

03 September 2013

On August 31, 2013, Mr Remzi Ilyasov, Vice Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, MP of Crimea gave explanations to the officers of Simferopol Municipal Department of the Main Board of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in ARC concerning Mr Mark Ben-Naim’s claim addressed to the Public Prosecutor Mr Pavlov V.V., Head of the MB of MIA of Ukraine in ARC Mr Slepanev M.A. where he said about the “open incitement of ethnic hatred and open hatred to the Jewish people by Mr Remzi Ilyasov” and in this respect he demands drawing him to the responsibility “for anti-Semitism”.

Mr Ben-Naim’s reason to his claim was that Mr Remzi Ilyasov filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor of ARC concerning the laying of flowers to the eternal flame in Simferopol held on June 22, 2013. In his claim Mr Ben-Naim demands drawing Mr Ilyasov “who calls himself the Vice Chairman of the illegal Mejlis, MP of the Verkhovna Rada of ARC and who filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor Office and demanded investigating the legality of the actions of people who exhibited the portraits of Joseph Stalin, the Hero of the Soviet Union and the Hero of the Socialist Labor”.

As is known, the mourning meeting had the honor guard, various broadsheets with slogans including those promoting Stalinism, to be more precise Stalin’s portrait with inscription “glory to great Stalin”. The event was attended by the representatives of the Crimean authorities. The representatives of the law enforcement agencies tried to remove Tiran’s portrait and slogans that glorified Stalin. However, the MP Mr S.Topalov provided resistance to the law enforcement officers in any possible way.

Earlier, in his address, Mr Remzi Ilyasov wrote that “the representatives of Crimean authorities laid flowers to Stalin’s portrait. The propaganda of Stalinism, Stalin’s praising are inadmissible in modern Ukraine”. The MP of ARC Mr Remzi Ilyason also asked to make the corresponding investigation and draw the guilty persons to the criminal responsibility, including for the opposition to the law enforcement officers, for popularization of Stalinism, because in compliance with the Resolution of the OSCE the world community condemns and sets Stalin’s totalitarian regime to the Hitler’s one.

Mr Ben-Naim who demands drawing Mr Remzi Ilyasov to the criminal responsibility in accordance with the Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine argued his accusations that Stalin was a Jew. “Considering that Mr Remzi Ilyason opposes Stalinism it means that he is against every Jew,”- Mr Ben-Naim made such genius conclusion.

In his turn, commenting on the “Ben-Naim’s legends” Mr Remzi Ilyasov noted: “Speaking about Stalin, Hitler and alike I never spoke and thought about their nationality. I spoke against promotion of Stalinism, Nazism, Stalin’s personality cult, because this person was guilty in the death of millions of innocent people. For example, the Ukrainian court found him guilty in Holodomor – the genocide of the Ukrainian people and this information is available on SBU web-site. M. Ben-Naim’s accusations of me in anti-Semitism are nonsense.”

Note:Mr Remzi Ilyasov, Vice Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, MP of ARC filed a suit for people who marched around Simferopol carrying Stalin’s portrait on June 22, 2013.