On November 11, 2021, the so-called Central District Court of Simferopol found lawyer Edem Semedliaiev guilty of an offense under Article 19.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (Disobedience to a lawful order of a police officer).
In relation to Semedliaiev, 2 administrative protocols were drawn up on the violation of Article 19.3 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation. The first concerned the lawyer's refusal to stop recording audio at the so-called Central police department 3 during the drafting of administrative incriminations against Semedliaiev's clients. The second protocol was drawn up after the lawyer refused to comply with the CCE officer's request to strip naked for examination at the police station. The result of consideration of the first protocol was an administrative arrest for 12 days, the second – a fine of 4 000 rubles.
The Crimean Tatar Resource Center strongly condemns these illegal actions of the Russian security forces, which are a manifestation of the discriminatory policy of the occupation authorities in relation to the indigenous Crimean Tatar people.
The arrest and harassment of an independent lawyer is a violation of both Ukrainian and Russian legislation on advocacy, as well as paragraph 16 of the Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers adopted by the UN in 1990. These principles impose on governments the obligation not to prosecute or impose administrative, economic or other sanctions for any act performed in accordance with recognized professional duties, norms and ethics and prohibit threats of such harassment and sanctions.
The Crimean Tatar Resource Center demands the immediate release of lawyer Edem Semedliaiev and to refrain from further prosecution of independent lawyers carrying out professional activities in the temporarily occupied Crimea, as well as acting in the interests of political prisoners of Crimea in Russia.
The Crimean Tatar Resource Center demands the President of Ukraine, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to impose sanctions against those involved in the arrest of Edem Semedliaiev.
The Crimean Tatar Resource Center calls on the international community to increase pressure on the Russian Federation and the occupation authorities of Crimea in order to end political persecution and persecution in connection with the professional activities of lawyers, as well as apply personal sanctions against persons involved in human rights violations in the territory of temporarily occupied Crimea.