Crimean Tatar activist's arrest extended

The Kiev District Court of Simferopol extended the arrest of Crimean Tatar activist Nariman Memedeminov until August 15. Ruslan Ablyakimov reported this to OVD-Info.

Yesterday it became known that Memedeminov was taken from pre-trial detention center No. 1 in Simferopol, where he is being held, to a psychiatric hospital for an examination. Lawyer Edem Semedlyaev reported this on his Facebook page.

— For this category of cases, a psychiatric examination is not mandatory, but practice shows that in all political cases against Crimean Tatar Muslims, a humiliating psychiatric examination is carried out. The investigation has no reason to doubt Nariman's adequacy. “I believe that in all politically motivated cases of this kind, all “classified” witnesses and some “victims” should undergo examinations,” the lawyer said.

Memedeminov is accused of public calls for terrorism via the Internet (Part 2 of Article 205.2 of the Criminal Code) due to videos posted on YouTube in 2013 and 2014.

• On March 22, the activist was detained immediately after a search in the village of Kholmovka, Bakhchisaray district. During the search, the security forces broke down the door, behaved rudely, used obscene language, immediately put Memedeminov on the floor and handcuffed him. Law enforcement officers seized the activist and his wife’s phones, a tablet and several books.
• In July 2017, the Bakhchisarai District Court already considered Memedeminov’s case. Then he was accused of participating in an uncoordinated rally near the house of Seidamet Mustafayev, whose house was being searched. According to Crimean Solidarity, Memediminov covered the situation and filmed. In addition, he tried to keep people from reacting to law enforcement provocations. However, the court found him guilty and fined him 10 thousand rubles.