Journalist Marlen (Suleiman) Asanov has been in the punishment cell for more than a month. This was reported by his mother, Diliara Asanova, in a commentary to Crimean Solidarity.
“He did not commit any violations. When he was sent to a punishment cell, he asked what complaints he had, and he was told that Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, according to which he is sitting, is enough to send him to a punishment cell”,- the mother of the political prisoner said.
Asanov has been suffering from arthritis since childhood, the disease worsened during his stay in the punishment cell. He also suffers from pain in his knees and has already applied for medicines to be donated by his family. The political prisoner is going to make an appointment with the dentist and is waiting for an appointment, but the specialist comes only when the required number of political prisoners is gathered.
“But the formal reason for which he was expelled to the punishment cell was that he allegedly swore. Everyone in Crimea knows this man, no one has even brought him to any kind of disciplinary sanction during the entire period of criminal prosecution. He gave an explanation that he did not swear and considers it slander, but, nevertheless, he was expelled to a punishment cell”,- the Crimean lawyers commented at the human rights office.
We remind you that on October 11, 2017, in the city of Bakhchisaray, the occupants carried out mass searches in 6 dwellings of Crimean Tatars – Marlen Asanov, Seiran Saliiev, Timur Ibrahimov, Memet Belyalov, Ernes 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 Bakhchisaray 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 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, Seyran Saliiev – to 16, Server Mustafayev – to 14, Server Zakiryaev and Edem Smailov – to 13. Ernest Ametov was found innocent and released in the courtroom.