Laying of Flowers to Jan Palach and Jan Zajíc Monument in Prague

12 October 2011

Mustafa Jemilev on behalf of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people laid flowers to the monument to Czech students who torched themselves in protest against the occupation of their country by the troops of the Warsaw Pact countries.

On October 11, 2011 the leader of Mejlis Mustafa Jemilev and his assistants Rustem Umerov and Liliya Muslimova laid flowers to the monument to the activists of Czech student movement, located on Václav square in Prague with inscription on the ribbon “To the patriots of their people – Jan Palach and Jan Zajíc from Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people”.

The monument was installed on one of the main squares in Prague – Václav square where in January 1969 the 21-year Jan Palach torched himself. 85 percent of the fearless young patriot was burned. He lived more three days and then died on January 19, 1969. “I wanted to state my disagreement against what was happening here. I wanted to awake my people…”- Jan Palach could hardly say, laying on a hospital bed shortly before his death.

In February 1969 18-year-old Jan Zajíc repeated the act of Jan Palach on Václav square. Both students torched themselves in protest against the intrusion of the troops of the Warsaw Pact countries to Czechoslovakia and severe suppression of “Prague Autumn”.

One of the central squares of Prague was given Jan Palach name. The monument to him, representing itself a wooden cross embedded into the stone pavement was also located before the National Museum in Vaclav square.

Visiting the monument to Palach and Zajíc Mustafa Jemilev noted that we also remember the name of the true patriot of Crimea – Crimean Tatar Musa Mamut who on June 23, 1978 torched himself in protest against the oppressions and suppressions of the Crimean Tatar people in its historical native land.

Musa Mamut died on June 28, 1978 in Simferopol municipal hospital being in full conscience, without regretting about what he did and stated that he has done it in protest against infringement of Crimean Tatars’ rights.