On Monday, 26 August, North-Caucasian district military court in Rostov-on-Don continued the detention of Second Bakhchysarai “Hizb-ut-Tahrir Case” defendants. Marlen Asanov, Seyran Saliiev, Timur Ibrahimov, Memet Belyalov, Ernest Ametov, Server Zakiryaev, Server Mustafayev, Edem Smailov will remain under arrest until February 13, 2020. This is reported by Crimean Solidarity initiative.
The court hearing was conducted via video-call between the courtroom in Rostov-on-Don and detention center in Simferopol where the accused are being held. The attorneys participated in the hearing from Crimean garrison military ‘court’ in Simferopol.
The court reportedly rejected all defendant’s appeals: to close the criminal case; to return the case to prosecutor because charges are not specified; to apply IV Geneva Convention to the defendant’s case.
The next court meeting, where the criminal ‘case’ will be considered, is scheduled for 3 September.
Previously, on October 11, 2017 in Bakhchysarai, occupants held mass searches in six Crimean Tatar households – Marlen Asanov, Seyran Saliiev, Timur Ibrahimov, Memet Belyalov, Ernest Ametov, Server Zakiryaev. All were detained and charged with the article 205.5 Criminal Code of RF “participation in an organization that is recognized as terrorist by Russia legislature”.
On May 21, 2018, in the occupied Crimea, Russian security forces conducted mass searches in the households of Crimean Solidarity activists, whereby two Crimean Tatars, Server Mustafayev and Edem Smailov, were detained. They are also charged with participation in “Hizb ut-Tahrir” that is illegal in Russia.
In February 2019, the criminal case was opened against eight defendants – Marlen Asanov, Seyran Saliiev, Timur Ibrahimov, Memet Belyalov, Ernest Ametov, Server Zakiryaev, Server Mustafayev, and Edem Smailov – charging them with article 278 Criminal Code of RF (violent seizure of power).
On 5 March, it became known that two defendants, Timur Ibrahimov and Memet Belyalov, received even more severe charges (article 205.5 Criminal Code, “participation in terrorist organization” and first part “organization of terrorist activity).