The defendant in the so-called second Bakhchysarai Hizb ut-Tahrir case Edem Smailov is in the special block of the pre-trial detention center

March 4, 2021

The defendant in the so-called second Bakhchysarai Hizb ut-Tahrir Edem Smailov is kept in a special block of the Russian pre-trial detention center under 24-hour video surveillance. This was reported by the Crimean Solidarity public association.

“The Crimean Tatar is kept in cell No. 6 in a special block alone and under video surveillance. It is not easy for him to sit alone, but last time he was with people who were smoking, which made breathing very difficult. It should be noted that the cell is warm enough and there are no conflicts with the administration. At the same time, it turned out that he has 8 disciplinary sanctions, which came as a surprise to him”,- the message said.

We remind that on October 11, 2017, in the city of Bakhchisaray, the invaders carried out mass searches in 6 dwellings of Crimean Tatars – Marlen Asanov, Seiran Saliiev, Timur Ibrahimov, Memet Belyalov, Ernest Ametov, Server Zakiryaev. Everyone was detained. They were charged under Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation “Participation in the activities of an organization which, in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, is recognized as terrorist”.

On May 21, 2018, Russian security forces raided the dwellings of activists of the Crimean Solidarity public association in the occupied Crimea, as a result of which Server Mustafayev and Edem Smailov were detained. They were also accused of their membership in Hizb ut-Tahrir organisation, which is prohibited on the territory of the Russian Federation.

In February 2019, a criminal case was opened against eight individuals involved in the so-called second Bakhchysarai Hizb ut-Tahrir case – Marlen Asanov, Seiran Saliiev, Timur Ibrahimov, Memet Belyalov, Ernest Ametov, Server Zakiryaev, Server Mustafayev and Edem Smailov (“Violent seizure of power or violent retention of power”).

On March 5, it became known that the two defendants in the so-called second Bakhchysarai Hizb ut-Tahrir case – Timur Ibrahimov and Memet Belyalov – had their charge tightened from part two of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code (“participation in the activities of a terrorist organization”) to the part one (“organization of the activities of a terrorist organization”).   

On September 16, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don announced the verdict to the defendants in the second so-called Bakhchysarai Hizb ut-Tahrir case. Marlen Asanov was sentenced to 19 years in a strict regime colony, Memet Belyalov – to 18, Timur Ibrahimov – to 17, Seiran Saliiev – to 16, Server Mustafayev – to 14, Server Zakiryaev and Edem Smailov – to 13. Ernest Ametov was found innocent and released in the courtroom.