The Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people is the only higher authorized representative and executive body of the Crimean Tatar people. The composition of the Mejlis and the Head are elected by each new composition of the Kurultai by secret ballot from among the delegates of the Kurultai (more about the Kurultai).

The Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people in its current form was founded in 1991 to represent the interests of the Crimean Tatars before the Ukrainian and Crimean authorities, as well as in international organizations.

In its activities, the Mejlis is subject to the Kurultai, guided by its decisions, the Regulations on the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, the Regulations, norms of international law and legislative acts of Ukraine.

After the occupation of Crimea by Russia in 2014, Head of the Mejlis Refat Chubarov and the leader of the Crimean Tatar people, Mustafa Dzhemilev, were banned from entering the peninsula. Later, the occupying authorities brought criminal cases against the deputies of the Mejlis Chairman, and members of the Mejlis were subjected to constant pressure, and the representative body itself was declared prohibited. In response to that, the International Court of Justice of the United Nations passed a decision according to which russia is obliged to ensure the right of Crimean Tatars to representative institutions, including the Mejlis, but russia ignores this decision and continues repression against the representatives of the institution and the Crimean Tatar people in general.

Since 2014, the leadership of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people has been located in Kyiv and represents the interests of Crimea and the Crimean Tatars at the national and international levels, defends the people’s right to self-determination, takes care of issues of deoccupation of Crimea, support of Crimean political prisoners and their families, development of Crimean Tatar culture, preservation of the Crimean Tatar language etc.