In 2020, 252 cases of arrests were recorded, 199 of which were against representatives of the indigenous people. Out of 252 cases: 47 – new arrests, 16 – sentences, 189 – prolongation of the terms of detention of political prisoners of Crimea. This is stated in the analysis of human rights violations in Crimea for 2020 by the Crimean Tatar Resource Center.
.jpg)
In this category, we observe the following trend: in 2019, there were 335 cases of arrests, in 2018 – 207, and in 2017 – 46. Despite such dynamics, the policy of systemic extensions of detention terms, new arrests and imposition of long terms of imprisonment for political prisoners in Crimea remains unchanged over the past years. During the reporting period, 16 people were sentenced to terms ranging from 3.8 to 19 years in prison, 47 were taken into custody (some were subsequently released or placed under house arrest).
During the reporting period, the following sentences are known:
– On March 5, the so-called Dzhankoy District Court sentenced Sergiy Filatov to 6 years in a general regime colony with a probation for a period of 1 year for organizing and participating in the Jehovah's Witnesses cell.
– On April 6, the so-called Armiansk City Court sentenced Denys Kashuk to 3 years and 8 months in prison on suspicion of allegedly storing explosives and ammunition.
– On June 4, the so-called Supreme Court of Crimea reviewed the verdict of the so-called Yalta City Court against the Crimean resident Artem Gerasimov and replaced the previously imposed fine with a sentence of imprisonment for a period of 6 years. He is accused of organizing the activities of the religious organization Jehovah's Witnesses.
– On June 9, the so-called Sevastopol City Cour" sentenced a local resident to 10 years of imprisonment in a strict regime colony. A 1970 born man was found guilty of allegedly committing a crime under Article 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (espionage).
– On July 22, the so-called Chornomorsk District Court of Crimea sentenced Nariman Mezhmedinov, detained on February 17, 2020, to 8 years in prison for allegedly participating in an illegal armed formation – the Noman Çelebicihan Crimean Tatar Volunteer Battalion.
– On September 16, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don announced the verdict to the defendants in the so-called second Bakhchisaray Hizb ut-Tahrir case. Marlen Asanov was sentenced to 19 years in a strict regime colony, Memet Belyalov – to 18, Timur Ibrahimov – to 17, Seyran Saliiev – to 16, Server Mustafaev – to 14, Server Zakiryaev and Edem Smailov – to 13.
– On October 26, the so-called Nakhimov District Court of Sevastopol sentenced activist Valerii Bolshakov, accused of public calls to carry out extremist activities because of the publication in VKontakte, to two and a half years suspended and banned from holding public office.
– On November 3, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don announced the verdict on the defendants in the so-called Krasnohvardiiske Hizb ut-Tahrir case. Rustem Emiruseinov was sentenced to 17 years in prison, Arsen Abkhairov – to 13, Eskender Abdulhaniev – to 12.
– On December 10, the so-called Supreme Court of the occupied Crimea sentenced in absentia the owner of the Crimean Tatar TV channel ATR Lenur Isliamov to 19 years in a strict regime colony with a ban on engaging in information activities for 2 years.
By the decisions of the occupation courts of Crimea and the courts of the Russian Federation, the following were taken into custody:
– Crimean (name unknown), who, allegedly, on the instructions of the Ukrainian special services, equipped caches with ammunition and explosives in the region.
– 55-year-old Nariman Mezhmedinov on suspicion of alleged participation in the Noman Çelebicihan Crimean Tatar Volunteer Battalion on the territory of mainland Ukraine.
– Two teenagers from Kerch, suspected of allegedly preparing terrorist attacks in educational institutions of Kerch.
– Four Ukrainian fishermen detained in the Sea of Azov for illegal fishing"(they were previously released).
– Amet Suleymanov, a defendant in the so-called third Bakhchisaray Hizb ut-Tahrir case (house arrest).
– Osman Seytumerov, Seytumer Seytumerov and Rustem Seytmemetov, defendants in the so-called third Bakhchisaray Hizb ut-Tahrir case.
– two natives of the countries of Central Asia on suspicion of participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in the Russian Federation.
– A resident of Kerch (name unknown) on suspicion of allegedly public calls for extremist activities.
– A serviceman of the Russian Armed Forces (name unknown) on suspicion of alleged extradition in 2017-2018. Ukrainian military intelligence of information entrusted to it in service, constituting a state secret (house arrest).
– A citizen of Ukraine Konstantin Shiringa on suspicion of alleged espionage on the instructions of the Ukrainian special service.
– Artem Shablii on suspicion of participation in the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization banned in Russia. Later, he was released from the IVS under the obligation to appear as a suspect. A criminal case was initiated against him in accordance with Part 1.1. Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (involvement in the activities of an extremist organization).
– Ukrainian serviceman Yevgen Dobrinsky, who disappeared on May 30 at the administrative border with the occupied Crimea.
– three detained on suspicion of allegedly planning an explosion at the market in Simferopol – Khoroshaiev, Lagutin, Kuliievych – were taken into custody. Another – Reshetnychenko – was chosen as a preventive measure in the form of house arrest.
– Deputy Director General of the ATR TV channel Ayder Muzhdabaev (in absentia) for allegedly calls to terrorism.
– Oleksandr Syzykov, defendant in the so-called Hizb ut-Tahrir case (house arrest);
– Ismet Ibrahimov, Zekiriya Muratov, Emil Ziyadinov and Vadym Bektemyrov, Alim Sufianov and Seyran Khairetdynov – defendants in the so-calledf new Hizb ut-Tahrir case detained during mass searches;
– according to preliminary information, a man born in 1968, who was detained in Simeiz, suspected of participating in the religious organization Jehovah's Witnesses banned in the Russian Federation, was placed in custody (information is being specified).
– Russian serviceman of the Black Sea Fleet on charges of high treason.
– Medzhyt Ablyamitov, detained on suspicion of participation in the Noman Çelebicihan Crimean Tatar Volunteer Battalion .
– Detained on suspicion of extremism, a citizen of Ukraine Oleksandr Dolzhenkov and a local resident of Yevpatoria (name to be confirmed).
– The so-called Lenin District Court of Sevastopol arrested Ihor Shmiedt, Ievhen Zhukov, Volodymyr Sakada and Volodymyr Maladyka, who were detained on suspicion of participation in the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization banned in Russia until November 23 and 30.
– On December 21, a Russian court arrested a 26-year-old resident of Crimea on charges under Part 2 of Article 205.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (public calls for terrorist activities, public justification of terrorism or propaganda of terrorism using information and telecommunication networks, including the Internet) and Part 1.1. Article 205.1 of the Criminal Code of Russia (assistance to terrorist activities).
– Two residents of Yalta, suspected of making weapons and ammunition, were taken into custody. A criminal case was initiated against the detainees under Part 2 of Article 222 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation or carrying of weapons, its main parts, ammunition, committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy).