On Tuesday, August 17, Russian security officials conducted searches in five houses of the Crimean Tatars in the Bakhchysarai, Simferopol, and Sevastopol districts of Crimea.
Searches were carried out at:
1. Raif Fevziiev – imam in the village of Strohonivka, Simferopol district, activist.
2. Dzhabbar Bekirov – activist, organizer of iftar and public events.
3. Zavur Abdullaiev – activist, organizer of iftar and public events.
4. Rustem Murasov – activist, organizer of iftar and public events.
5. Rustem Tairov – activist, organizer of iftar and public events.
The searches began at 04:00, the lawyers were not allowed to the place of the searches, the attesting witnesses were brought by the security forces with them.
All five activists were detained, 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 the activities of such an organization).
On August 17, 2021, the so-called Lenin District Court of Sevastopol chose for Dzhebbar Bekirov and Rustem Tairov a measure of restraint in the form of detention until October 11, 2021, and the so-called Kyiv District Court of Simferopol chose for Imam Raif Fevziiev a measure of restraint in the form of detention until October 12, 2021.
On August 18, 2021, the so-called Lenin District Court of Sevastopol chose Rustem Murasov and Zavur Abdullaieva a preventive measure in the form of detention until October 11, 2021.
When considering the so-called petition to choose a measure of restraint, the listeners and relatives of the detainees were not allowed into the hall of the so-called court session.
Rustem Murasov's house was already searched in 2016, after which he was detained, but later released. On February 2, 2018, Rustem Tairov and Rustem Murasov were detained, later they were also released. These actions testify to the targeted persecution of Crimean Tatar activists.
The Crimean Tatar Resource Center strongly condemns these illegal actions of the Russian security forces. Such a policy of the Russian Federation is a demonstration of the struggle against freedom of speech and belief, as well as the religious and political beliefs of people in the occupied Crimea.
The Russian Federation misuses its legislation for political purposes, in particular, with the aim of suppressing the non-violent struggle of the Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians against the occupation of Crimea.
The Crimean Tatar Resource Center demands the immediate release of all political prisoners arrested in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
The Crimean Tatar Resource Center calls on the international community to increase pressure on the Russian Federation and the occupying authorities of Crimea in order to end political persecution, as well as apply personal sanctions against persons involved in human rights violations in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
Press Service of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center