Crimean political prisoners: Arsen Abkhairov, Eskender Abdulhaniev and Rustem Emiruseinov have been in custody for six years

Six years ago, on 14 February 2019, Russian security forces conducted massive searches in the houses of Crimean Tatars in the village of Biyuk-Onlar (‘Oktyabrske’) in the Kurman district of Crimea. As a result, 3 people were detained on suspicion of involvement in the banned in Russia organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir – Arsen Abkhairov, Eskender Abdulhaniev and Rustem Emiruseinov.

In November 2020, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don announced the verdict against the political prisoners. Rustem Emiruseinov was sentenced to 17 years in prison, Arsen Abkhairov – to 13 years, and Eskender Abdulhaniev – to 12 years. They have been illegally detained for six years.

We would like to remind you that after the occupation of Crimea, the Russian Federation has been actively practising religious persecution on the peninsula. Throughout the occupation of the peninsula, 19 waves of detentions of Crimean Tatars have been carried out, accusing them of involvement in the so-called Hizb ut-Tahrir case.

According to the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, 122 people are being prosecuted in the Hizb ut-Tahrir case, 119 of whom are representatives of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people.

It is worth noting that no one involved in the Hizb ut-Tahrir case has been released as part of the exchanges so far. These people are forced to serve their illegal ‘sentences’ in full, having nothing to do with criminal offences. Thus, a total of 23 political prisoners in Crimea have fully served their sentences, including 8 defendants in the Hizb ut-Tahrir case.

We would like to emphasise that the charges in these ‘cases’ are based on the testimony of ‘hidden witnesses’ and the conclusions of ‘experts’ who actively cooperate with the FSB. The only ‘evidence’ is banned Islamic literature found during searches, FSB operational data and audio recordings that allegedly show the convicts discussing religious and political topics.

Such a policy of the Russian Federation is a demonstration of the fight against dissent, as well as religious and political beliefs of people in the occupied Crimea.

The Crimean Tatar Resource Center demands the cancellation of all sentences against the defendants in the Hizb ut-Tahrir case and the immediate release of other political prisoners.

The Crimean Tatar Resource Center calls on the international community to increase pressure on the Russian Federation to stop political persecution in Crimea, as well as to impose personal sanctions on those responsible for human rights violations in the temporarily occupied Crimea.