The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has expressed a strong protest in connection with the verdicts of the defendants in the Hizb ut-Tahrir case. The ministry stressed that the Russian Federation continues to use the draconian norms of its anti-terrorist legislation for systemic political persecution of representatives of the Crimean Tatar people.
“Today's court sentences on the imprisonment of Rustem Emiruseinov for 17 years, Arsen Abkhairov – for 13 years, Eskender Abdulhaniev – for 12 years is yet another proof that the occupying state continues to use the draconian norms of its anti-terrorist legislation for systemic political persecution of representatives the Crimean Tatar people as an instrument of intimidation and suppression of any manifestations of disloyalty to the occupation regime”,- the message says.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs demands from the Russian Federation to cancel the court's decision and release Rustem Emiruseinov, Arsen Abkhairov, Eskender Abdulhaniev and all citizens of Ukraine illegally detained.
In addition, the department called on the international community to increase political, diplomatic and sanctions pressure on the aggressor state in order to stop Russia from violating human rights in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
We remind that on February 14, 2019, Russian security forces conducted searches in the dwellings of Crimean Tatars in the village of Oktiabrske of Krasnohvardiisk district. Three men were detained and taken to the FSB. Criminal proceedings were instituted against them on suspicion of organizing and participating in the activities of the Hizb ut-Tahrir organization banned in the Russian Federation.
On February 15, the so-called Kyiv District Court of Simferopol arrested Eskender Abdulhaniev, Rustem Emiruseinov and Arsen Abkhairov detained after a search of the Crimean Tatars on suspicion of membership in the Hizb ut-Tahrir organization, which was banned in Russia.