In Crimea, Russians persecute people for "the wrong religion"

After the occupation of Crimea, the Russian Federation has been actively practicing religious persecution on the peninsula. Currently, 117 people are being persecuted in the so-called Hizb ut-Tahrir case.

According to the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, 114 of them are representatives of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people. 82 of them are serving their sentences in Russian prisons and colonies, while 28 are in pre-trial detention centers, 2 are under house arrest, and 5 have been released. The charges in these "cases," according to the CTRC, are based on the testimony of "hidden witnesses" and the conclusions of "experts" who actively cooperate with the Russian Federal Security Service.

"The only 'evidence' is the banned Islamic literature found during searches, FSB operational data and audio recordings that allegedly show the convicts discussing religious and political topics," human rights activists say.

In their opinion, such a policy of the Russian Federation is a demonstration of the fight against dissent, as well as religious and political beliefs of people in the occupied Crimea. The occupation authorities are illegally using their legislation for political purposes, in particular, to suppress the non-violent struggle of the Crimean Tatars and their protest against the occupation of Crimea.

"In addition, the occupiers are stepping up repressions against the defendants in the Hizb ut-Tahrir case, increasing sentences to 19 years in prison, imposing the first years of imprisonment in prisons, and putting political prisoners on occupational registers," the CTRC adds.

The Crimean Tatar Resource Center demands the reversal of all sentences against the defendants in the Hizb ut-Tahrir case and the immediate release of other political prisoners. They call on the international community to increase pressure on the Russian Federation to stop political persecution in Crimea, as well as to impose personal sanctions on those responsible for human rights violations in the temporarily occupied Crimea.

Earlier, Dzhemil Gafarov, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison for "participation in the activities of a terrorist organization", died in custody due to the lack of proper medical care. The occupiers in prisons are trying to break the Crimean residents. In the first 9 months of 2024, Russian security forces placed Crimean political prisoners in punishment cells, special units and solitary confinement at least 16 times. It is noted that, in particular, the following offenses were committed: Server Zekiryayev (3), Server Mustafayev (2), Teymur Abdullayev, Eskender Abdulganiyev (2), Ali Mamutov, Oleg Prykhodko, Seyran Saliyev, Serhiy Tsygipa, Edem Smailov, Marlen Asanov, Rustem Gugurik and Remzi Bekirov. In total, since 2017, 10,018 violations of fundamental human rights have been recorded in the Russian-annexed Crimea, 6,730 of which were committed against members of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people.

Олеся Ланцман