III. Discrimination of Crimean Tatars on ethnic and religious grounds 15. The policy of the Russian authorities in the annexed Crimea has led to a serious infringement of the civil, political, linguistic and cultural rights of the Crimean Tatar people. Due to the ongoing persecution, hundreds of Crimean Tatars were forced to leave Crimea. Those who remained, but do not agree with the regime, faced fabricated criminal cases, kidnappings, torture, and long prison terms. After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, terror against the Crimean Tatars intensified and spread to the new territories occupied by Russia. 16. The study of the Crimean Tatar language and teaching in it is increasingly problematic. In 2021, only 6,700 children studied in Crimean Tatar in Crimea, despite the fact that according to the Russian census of 2014, there were 232,340 Crimean Tatars in Crimea. Since the annexation, the Crimean Tatars were actually forbidden to celebrate memorable dates. Crimean Tatar national symbols, images and heritage of historical figures, attributes of Crimean Tatar identity are used in the formation of pro-Russian propaganda discourse. At the same time, the authorities demonstrate a disdainful attitude towards the Crimean Tatar cultural heritage and memorable places. During the occupation of Crimea, the narrative about the Crimean Tatars as "terrorists", "extremists" and "agents of foreign special services" began to spread through the Russian state media and politicians in the public space. 17. The full-scale war has opened a new phase of repression against the Crimean Tatars. Only in the period from February to September 2022, Russian security forces conducted 25 searches, 108 arrests and 124 interrogations or "conversations" in Crimea. Besides, among 138 people arrested in Crimea for the protests against Russian occupation and military aggression, 104 were Crimean Tatars (according to the Crimean Tatar Resource Center). With the beginning of the active phase of the war and the occupation of Kherson Province inhabited by many Crimean Tatars, the persecution spread outside Crimea. IV. Discrimination of indigenous peoples 18. The indigenous peoples of Russia continue to suffer from the activities of mining companies – open-pit coal mines, alluvial gold mining, oil spills. The open method of coal mining makes the environmental situation in Khakassia and the Kemerovo region one of the worst in the country. The extraction of river gold causes irreparable harm to rivers and surrounding ecosystems in the places of traditional residence of indigenous peoples (in particular, the Shors of Southern Siberia). It is extremely difficult for representatives of indigenous communities to obtain fair compensation for the damage caused by industrial companies to their traditional habitats (for example, in the case of an environmental disaster on the Taimyr due to a fuel spill (2020). 19. Contrary to international standards, Russian legislation on indigenous peoples does not recognize their ownership rights to traditional territories, nor ensure the principle of free prior and informed consent. The uncertainty of land rights leads to the fact that representatives of indigenous minorities, even within the protected territories of their traditional residence, cannot use land free of charge. Land is often expropriated in favor of mining companies without necessary approvals or with their falsification under the pretext of "state needs". 20. Representatives of indigenous peoples have to defend themselves in court from criminal prosecution related to opposition to mining companies and the conduct of a traditional lifestyle (accusations of illegal hunting or fishing due to inadequate quotas) and attempts to report racist manifestations result in persecution of the victims themselves.5 V. Discrimination of migrants 21. Most of the millions of migrants working in Russia come from Central Asian countries (Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan). The pre-war labor migration from Ukraine was also significant, while after the invasion on February 24, 2022, at least 2.8 million residents of the war-affected regions of Ukraine arrived in Russia (UNHCR data, early October 2022; Russian sources give more than 4 million people). 22. Xenophobia towards migrants from Central Asia dominates public opinion. In 2017-2021, the share of supporters of limiting migration increased from 58% to 68-73%. Opinions about the "excessive" presence of migrants have decreased since 2013 from 69% to 57%, but remain predominant. The number of those who 5 Cf. the case of Lidia Bainova, a Khakas (2018). 4