The Supreme Court of Crimea left a Crimean Tatar activist with a disability of the first group in a pre-trial detention center

The Supreme Court of Crimea left under arrest the Crimean Tatar activist Edem Bekirov with a disability of the first group, accused of possession of weapons (Part 1 of Article 222 of the Criminal Code) and explosives (Part 1 of Article 222.1 of the Criminal Code), reports “Crimea. Realities" with reference to a correspondent in the courtroom.

Bekirov spoke about serious health problems. “I myself don’t know how I lasted so long with such a list of illnesses in the pre-trial detention center, but I can tell you for sure that every day I’m only getting worse,” he said. Bekirov's defense asked to place him under house arrest.

According to lawyers, the activist is a disabled person of the first group, he suffers from diabetes, recently underwent heart surgery, and his leg was amputated. Medical documents confirm that Bekirov cannot be in a pre-trial detention center, the defense insisted. The prosecutor opposed changing the preventive measure.

Earlier, on January 10, human rights activist Zoya Svetova wrote on Facebook that Bekirov’s cellmate Ruslan Trubach gave his daughter a message: “This man will die soon.” According to Svetova, Bekirov was supposed to be hospitalized in mid-December due to heart problems.

Bekirov was arrested on December 13, 2018 on suspicion of transporting more than 10 kilograms of TNT and 190 live rounds. A day earlier, he was detained at the border with Crimea. During the meeting to select a preventive measure, the activist became ill and an ambulance was called.