On 11 October 2017, Russian occupation security forces conducted large-scale searches in the homes of Crimean Tatars in Bakhchysaray. The searches took place in six families: Marlen Asanov, Seiran Saliiev, Timur Ibragimov, Memet Belyalov, Ernes Ametov and Server Zekiryaev. After that, all men were detained and charged under Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation – ‘Participation in the activities of an organisation recognised as a terrorist organisation on the territory of the Russian Federation’.
Six months later, on 21 May 2018, new repressions against activists of the public association ‘Crimean Solidarity’ took place in occupied Crimea. The law enforcers detained two more activists – Server Mustafayev and Edem Smailov, bringing similar charges of participation in the activities of Hizb ut-Tahrir, which Russia considers terrorist.
In February 2019, a new criminal case under Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation – ‘Forcible seizure of power or retention of power’ – was opened against all detainees in the so-called second Bakhchisarai ‘Hizb ut-Tahrir case’. Later, two defendants, Timur Ibragimov and Memet Belyalov, were charged with organisation of activities of a terrorist organisation (part 1 of article 205.5 of the Criminal Code).
On 16 September 2020, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don passed sentences in this case. The sentences were as follows:
- Marlen Asanov – 19 years of strict regime colony
- Memet Belyalov – 18 years
- Timur Ibragimov – 17 years
- Seyran Saliiev – 16 years
- Server Mustafayev – 14 years
- Server Zekiryaev and Edem Smailov – 13 years each
Ernes Ametov, who was initially found not guilty and released, was subsequently detained again and sentenced to 11 years in prison.
The Crimean Tatar Resource Center notes that these repressions are part of a broader campaign of persecution of Crimean Tatars aimed at suppressing their civic activism and protests against the Russian occupation.