[Witness spoke in Russian, interpreted as follows:]
Of course, the Mejlis is very important for them. Back in 2011, we saw instructions for the FSB, which said that the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people was the greatest obstacle in implementing the strategic interests of Russia in Crimea. It didn't say what the strategic interests were, but it did say that we were an obstacle to achieving them. There was quite an ambitious plan outlined to infiltrate the leadership of the Mejlis with pro-Russian people, and so on. It was not realistic, but that was the plan.
After the occupation, there was an attempt to bribe the Mejlis, getting them to accept the Russian occupation. That failed, so they started with repressions. They banned me from entering Crimea. The president of the Mejlis can no longer enter the peninsula. Two other people have been arrested, and so on. They managed to take over the spiritual administration of the Muslims of Crimea. That administration is no longer respected by the Crimean Tatars, because they listened to the FSB.
They are setting up children's and women's organizations. They are financing them, and membership in those organizations is pretty much the same. They are trying to show that the Crimean Tatars are remaining politically active, and that these activities are in support of Putin's regime.
They have not been successful in doing the same with the Mejlis, and they will not succeed. The Russian legislation does not include laws allowing them to conduct Mejlis elections, and even if they managed to do it, the Crimean Tatars would not vote in them. That's why they cannot tell the court in The Hague why they're not lifting the ban on the Mejlis. They have no answer.