Crimean Tatar Activist Server Mustafayev Faces Hostile Treatment in Prison

In a Russian colony, a Crimean Tatar activist and political prisoner was held for three days in a punishment cell and later transferred to a cell block. His wife reported a biased attitude towards him by the prison inspectors and called for actions to protect his rights and release.

This was reported by Suspilne with reference to the post of the political prisoner's wife.

According to the political prisoner's wife Maye Mustafayeva, illegally imprisoned Crimean Tatar activist Server Mustafayev spent three days in the punishment cell of colony No. 1 in Tambov in March 2025, and then was transferred to a cell-type facility, where he will stay for another two months.

According to her, in the second half of March, the colony was visited by an inspection from Moscow. One of the representatives of the commission demonstrated open hostility to Crimean Tatars.

"The server did not give all the details, but from his words we understood that one of the inspectors showed a biased attitude towards Muslims, allowed himself unacceptable statements and openly demonstrated contempt," she said.

Maye Mustafayeva called on human rights activists, journalists, the Ombudsman's Office and other institutions to draw attention to the violation of her husband's rights and to facilitate his and other prisoners of conscience' release as soon as possible.

In February, Mustafayev reported a deterioration in his health. He complained of back pain and symptoms of psoriasis, but the examination was constantly postponed.

Server Mustafayev is the coordinator of the Crimean Solidarity initiative, which helps families of political prisoners, provides legal support, and covers politically motivated persecution in the occupied Crimea. He was detained on May 21, 2018, after searches.

In 2020, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Mustafayev to 14 years in prison. The Military Court of Appeal in Vlasis rejected the defense's appeal, despite more than 45 court hearings.

Also, Russia upheld the sentence of Kherson political prisoner Irina Gorobtsova, who was illegally sentenced to 10.5 years in prison on trumped-up charges of espionage. After the appeal hearing, she will be transferred back to Crimea, where she was previously held.

Meanwhile, a Crimean artist was sentenced to 15 years in prison for an anti-war protest - he doused the facade of the occupation administration with blue and yellow paint. Despite torture and pressure, he continues his struggle through letters and drawings from behind bars.

Human rights activists, together with international partners, provided the UN with evidence of Russia's systemic war crimes in Crimea and other occupied territories. According to their data, Russia illegally detains at least 1,908 civilians.

Анна Бальчінос