Former Kremlin prisoner from Crimea dies in Istanbul after illness

Crimean Tatar activist and former political prisoner <b>Edem Bekirov</b> died in a hospital in Istanbul after a long illness.

This was reported by QIRIM.News.

Edem Bekirov was one of the Kremlin prisoners released as part of the first major exchange between Ukraine and Russia in 2019. His return home was a great victory, but his health condition remained serious as a result of his imprisonment and inadequate conditions of detention in Crimea. Despite extensive treatment in Ukraine and abroad, the disease unfortunately took his life.

Earlier, it became known that as of May last year, the occupiers illegally imprisoned 218 people in Crimea, including 133 Crimean Tatars. Of the total number, 40 were arrested (including 29 Crimean Tatars), 150 were imprisoned (including 98 Crimean Tatars), and 28 were without status (including 6 Crimean Tatars).

The post stated that in May, the occupiers unlawfully prosecuted at least 22 people for pro-Ukrainian statements and activities.

For example, in occupied Sevastopol, a 51-year-old native of Sumy region was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison by the Russian occupiers for anti-Russian statements on social media. The man had previously been illegally prosecuted for the so-called "discrediting the Russian Armed Forces".

Thus, the occupation "court" then extended the illegal house arrest of the former imam of the mosque in the village of Lobanovo Remzi Kurtnezirov until August 4. In addition, the occupiers illegally placed a Crimean Tatar in a hospital for a psychiatric examination in mid-July. The occupiers also continued the illegal arrest of members of the "first Dzhankoy group" in the "case of Crimean Muslims".

Activist Enver Krosh, civilian journalist Vilen Temeryanov, Rinat Aliyev and Edem Bekirov will remain in custody until August 29 this year. Seityaga Abbozov will remain under house arrest. In addition, the Crimean Tatar activists from the "sixth Bakhchisarai group" in the "case of Crimean Muslims" - Memet Lumanov, Aziz Azizov, Rustem Osmanov and Mustafa Abdur - have had their illegal stay in the detention center extended until August 2, 2024.

Катерина Глушко