Two international human rights organizations Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International sent a joint appeal to the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation demanding the release of six figurants in Yalta “Hizb ut-Tahrir case”, as this case serves as a typical example of the persecution of human rights defenders and other activists in the occupied Crimea.
"All six should be released immediately and unconditionally, with the cancellation of the verdict, and we urge you to use all available powers to ensure this. This case serves as a typical example of the persecution of human rights defenders and other activists in Crimea," the report said.
Human rights activists urge to take all necessary measures to eliminate the human rights violations suffered by Emir-Huseyn Kuku, Muslim Aliev, Enver Bekirov, Vadim Siruk, Arsen Dzhepparov and Refat Alimov, including harassment, transfer in violation of international humanitarian law from Crimea to the territory of the Russian Federation, as well as the final baseless and incorrect sentence imposed following an unfair trial.
We remind that Emir-Huseyn Kuku, Vadim Siruk, Muslim Aliev, Enver Bekirov, Arsen Dzhepparov and Refat Alimov are accused of participation in the organization Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is banned in the Russian Federation. They are charged with Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“organization of the activities of a terrorist organization and participation in it”). Later they began to impute Article 278 of the Criminal Code ("Forced seizure of power or forcible retention of power"). On October 11, during a court session in the Southern District Military Court of Rostov-on-Don, the prosecutor requested 13 to 20 years in prison for the so-called Yalta “Hizb ut-Tahrir case” defendants. On November 12, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don announced the sentence. Muslim Aliev and Enver Bekirov were sentenced to 19 and 18 years in a maximum security penal colony, Emir-Huseyn Kuku and Vadim Siruk – to 12 years, Refat Alimov – to 8 years, Arsen Dzhepparov – to 7 years.