The defendant in the so-called second Simferopol Hizb ut-Tahrir case Farhod Bazarov, had his charges re-qualified from Part 1 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of the activities of a terrorist organization) into Part 2 (participation in the activities of a terrorist organization). This was reported by the Crimean Solidarity public association.
“The charge was re-qualified from Part 1 as an organizer to Part 2 as a member of a “terrorist organization.” This is due, in my opinion, to the lack of evidence. The investigation of the case has ended, and we will begin to familiarize ourselves with the case”,- said lawyer Sergei Legostov.
We remind that on March 27, 2019, Russian security forces in the occupied Crimea carried out mass searches in 26 Crimean Tatars' dwellings. Literature was seized from some activists, which, according to Crimean Solidarity, the security forces planted themselves. In addition to books and brochures, people were confiscated phones, tablets, laptops, passports. The servicemen behaved rudely. It is reported that they used physical force against detainees and entered the houses in shoes. Lawyers who arrived at the site of the searches were not allowed to contact the detainees. According to the results of the searches, 20 people were suspected of involvement in the Hizb ut-Tahrir organization, which is banned in the Russian Federation. On March 28, three more Crimean Tatar activists were detained, in whose dwellings searches were carried out in their absence. On March 27-28, the occupation court arrested all 23 detainees after searches. They chose a preventive measure in the form of detention. Subsequently, all the individuals involved in this so-called case were repeatedly extended the terms of their arrest.