Three Crimean political prisoners released after 9 years in Russian colony
Kyiv • UNN
Remzi Memetov, Zevri Abseitov and Rustem Abiltarov were released after serving their full sentences in Russian colonies. They were convicted in 2018 in the case of the “first Bakhchisarai group” of Hizb ut-Tahrir.
After 9 years of imprisonment in a Russian colony, three Crimean political prisoners in the case of the "first Bakhchisarai group" of Hizb ut-Tahrir - Remzi Memetov, Zevri Abseitov and Rustem Abiltarov - have been released. This is reported by the human rights organization Crimean Solidarity with reference to the statement of lawyer Edem Semedlyayev, UNN reports.
Details
The Crimean Tatars served their entire sentences in a Russian colony: Memetov was imprisoned in colony No. 11, and Abiltarov and Abseitov - in colony No. 1 in Stavropol.
In May 2016, four Crimean Tatars were arrested in Bakhchisarai - cook Remzi Memetov, entrepreneur Enver Mamutov, dentist Zevri Abseitov and carpenter Rustem Abiltarov. Russia charged them under the article of the Criminal Code on participation in the activities of a terrorist organization.
In December 2018, the court sentenced Memet, Abseitov and Abiltarov to 9 years in prison. Mamutov was given 17 years in prison, when in 2019 all four prisoners had their sentences reduced by 3 months.
In July 2019, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for the release of all Ukrainian political prisoners, including those involved in this criminal case.
The Islamic political party "Hizb ut-Tahrir" was recognized as a terrorist party on February 14, 2003 by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation in a closed court session. Human rights activists believe that this decision was made unreasonably, in violation of transparency and protection of the parties, as only the prosecution, namely the FSB, participated in the closed trial. Representatives of the organization had no opportunity to present their position in the case. At the same time, the organization operates in Ukraine and most countries of the world without any restrictions at the level of national legislation. Since January 2015, criminal "cases of Hizb ut-Tahrir" have been initiated in Crimea, which has come under Russia's de facto control. In Ukraine, the party's activities are not banned, and the organization's activists published a newspaper, could speak openly in the media and hold mass public events,
Recall
As UNN previously reported , as of October 2004 218 people, including 132 Crimean Tatars, are illegally imprisoned by the Russian Federation in Crimea. 43 arrested, 151 imprisoned, 26 without status. The transfer of Crimean Tatars to Russian prisons has been documented.