Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, On citizens of Tatar nationality formerly resident in the Crimea. September 5, 1967
The following is the text of the Soviet decree, issued on 5 September 1967, withdrawing the accusations against the Crimean Tatar population and clearing them of charges of collaboration with Nazis during World War II. Because it was printed only in official Soviet publications and a few Central Asian newspapers, it is generally not known in Russia and the former Soviet Union states.
Original Source: Bulletin of the Supreme Soviet, No. 36 (8 September 1967).
After the liberation of the Crimea from Fascist occupation in 1944, accusations of active collaboration of a section of the Tatars resident in the Crimea with the German usurpers were groundlessly leveled at the whole Tatar population of the Crimea. These indiscriminate accusations in respect of all the citizens of Tatar nationality who lived in the Crimea must be withdrawn, the more so since a new generation of people has entered on its working and political life.
The Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet decrees to:
1. Annul the section of the relevant decisions of State organs which contains indiscriminate accusations with respect to citizens of Tatar nationality who lived in the Crimea.
2. Note that the Tatars formerly living in the Crimea have taken root in the territory of the Uzbek and other Union Republics; they enjoy all the rights of Soviet citizens, take part in public and political life, are elected deputies of the Supreme Soviets and local soviets of deputies of working people, work in responsible posts in Soviet, economic, and Party organs, radio broadcasts are made for them, a newspaper in their national language is published, and other cultural measures are undertaken.
With the aim of further developing areas with Tatar population, the Council Ministers of Union Republics are instructed to continue rendering help and assistance to citizens of Tatar nationality in economic and cultural construction, taking account of their interests and peculiarities.
Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet,
N. Podgornyi
Secretary of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet,
M. Georgadze
Source: Robert Conquest, The Nation Killers: The Soviet Deportation of Nationalities (New York, 1970), 186-187.