U.S. condemns Russia's detention of Crimean Tatar leader, 45 others

FILE PHOTO: A Crimean Tatars flag flies at a rally, commemorating Crimean Tatars mass deportations from the region in 1944, in the village of Siren, in Bakhchisaray district, Crimea, May 18, 2019. REUTERS/Alexey Pavlishak

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Sunday strongly condemned what it said was Russia's detention at the weekend of the deputy leader of the main representative body of Crimean Tatars and at least 45 other members of the ethnic group.

A State Department statement said Nariman Dzhelyalov, deputy chairman of the Crimean Tatars' Mejlis, was detained on Saturday by Russian occupation authorities in Crimea. It said at least 45 other Crimean Tatars had also been detained.