According to the Crimean Solidarity NGO, on Tuesday, the 28th of May, the so-called “Supreme Court of Crimea” rejected the appeal of the defendant of the second Simferopol “Hizb ut-Tahrir case” Tofik Abdulgaziev to the search and seizure decision of his dwelling.
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It is noted that the proceeding was open. Tofik Abdulgaziev took part in it via videoconference from a detention center in Rostov oblast’ of the Russian Federation.
The beginning of the proceeding was delayed due to connection issues. The defendant Tofik Abdulgaziev demanded a disqualification of a judge. The court rejected his claim according to the statement.
We remind that on the 27th of March, Russian security forces in the occupied Crimea conducted mass searches and seizure of the dwellings of 26 Crimean Tatars. Some activists had “their literature” seized, however, according to the Crimean Solidarity NGO this very literature was planted by the Russian security forces themselves. In addition to books and brochures, people had their phones, tablets, laptops and passports seized as well. Law enforcer’s behaviour was extremely rude. It is reported that they resorted to physical force against the detainees. They also entered the dwellings with their shoes on. Lawyers who arrived at the place of conducting search and seizure were not allowed to meet their defendants. According to the results of the event, 20 people, who are suspected of involvement in the Hizb ut-Tahrir organization, which is prohibited in the Russian Federation, were detained. On the 28th of March, three more Crimean Tatar activists were detained, and their homes were searched in their absence. Another Crimean Tatar, Edem Yayachikov, has disappeared with his current location still being unknown. On the 27th-28th of March, the so-called “court” arrested all 23 activists after search and seizure of their respective dwellings. They chose a measure of restraint in the form of detention until the 15th of May. All of them are accused of their involvement in the organization Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is prohibited in the Russian Federation. Later, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Human Rights Ombudsperson Liudmyla Denysova reported that the detainees were assigned to five detention centers in Rostov oblast’ of the Russian Federation. On the 13th-14th of May, the courts in Rostov oblast’ and the occupied Crimea extended the arrest term to all 24 detained Crimean Tatars until the 15th of August. At the same time, the so-called “Kyiv District Court of Simferopol” extended the detention period of Crimean Tatar activist Raim Ayvazov, who was detained in April at the Kalanchak checkpoint. He is also being prosecuted for his involvement in the aforementioned “Hizb ut-Tahrir case” together with other 23 Crimean Tatars detained on March 27, 2019.