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The Southern District Military Court has sentenced six residents of Crimea to prison terms ranging from 15 to 19 years in a case concerning their alleged involvement with the Islamic party Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is classified as a terrorist organisation in Russia. This was reported by Mediazona.
The court handed down the following sentences:
- Ruslan Asanov—19 years in prison;
- Remzi Nimetulayev—18 years;
- Seydamet Mustafayev—15 years;
- Amethan Umerov—15 years;
- Abdulmedzhit Seitumerov—15 years;
- Eldar Yakubov—15 years.
According to the prosecution, Asanov and Nimetulayev organised a Hizb ut-Tahrir cell, held secret meetings and carried out “propaganda work,” while the other defendants attended these gatherings. At the meetings, the prosecution alleges, they discussed the creation of a worldwide caliphate. Umerov was found with US$56,600, which the investigation considered to be the organisation’s budget.
The Crimeans were detained following searches in August 2023. They were charged with leading a terrorist organisation and participating in it (Articles 205.5 parts 1 and 2 of the Russian Criminal Code), as well as with attempting to seize power (Article 278 of the Criminal Code).
- All six are activists with “Crimean Solidarity.” The movement supports political prisoners and their families, reports on court cases and provides legal assistance.
- The Islamist party Hizb ut-Tahrir has been designated a terrorist organisation in Russia. Its alleged members are prosecuted and sentenced to real prison terms, in part for meeting in flats, reading religious literature and recruiting new members. The SOVA Centre and the “Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial” project consider the designation of the party as terrorist to be unjustified.