Searches and detentions of Crimean Tatars took place in Bakhchisaray

As part of the investigation of a criminal case on participation in Hizb ut-Tahrir, Crimean Tatars are detained in Bakhchisarai and massive searches are carried out in their homes.

On March 11, 2020, in Bakhchisarai, FSB officers conducted a series of searches in at least seven homes of Crimean Tatars, including 25-year-old activist Seydamet Mustafayev, Rustem Seytmemetov, TV presenter Seytumer Seytumerov, Shukri Seytumerov, brothers Seytumer and Osman Seytumerov, as well as Amet and Ayder Suleimanovs. After the searches, the brothers Seytumer and Osman Seytumerov, Rustem Seitmemetov, Enver Mustafayev (interrogated as a witness) and Amet Suleymanov were detained.

In relation to TV presenter Seytumer Seytumerov, who left Crimea in 2018, a case was initiated under Part 1 of Art. 205.5 of the Criminal Code (organization of the activities of a terrorist organization), and in relation to Rustem Seytmemetov, Amet Suleimanov, as well as the brothers Seytumer and Osman Seytumerov - under Part 2 of Art. 205.5 of the Criminal Code (participation in a terrorist organization). All of them are suspected of involvement in the radical Islamic political party Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is recognized as a terrorist organization in Russia. On March 12, 2020, the Kievsky District Court of Simferopol sent Rustem Seytmemetov and the brothers Seytumer and Osman Seytumerov to a pre-trial detention center until May 10, and Amet Suleymanov was placed under house arrest for the same period due to health reasons.

We oppose the accusation of Hizb ut-Tahrir supporters under anti-terrorist articles, since the organization does not practice violence and they are charged only with party activity - holding meetings, studying and distributing party literature, etc. The fact that the party preaches the idea of ​​creating world Islamic caliphate, from our point of view, does not provide grounds for accusing its followers of planning a violent seizure of power in Russia.

Sources

• In Bakhchisaray, the FSB conducts searches in the homes of Crimean Tatars // Grati. March 11, 2020
• Searches of the Crimean Tatars in Bakhchisarai are carried out as part of the case of participation in the Islamic party Hizb ut-Tahrir // Grati. March 11, 2020
• In Bakhchisarai, the security forces came with searches to the Crimean Tatars // OVD-Info. March 11, 2020
• FSB officers came with searches to the Crimean Tatars in Bakhchisarai // Mediazone. March 11, 2020
• Members of banned Hizb ut-Tahrir cell arrested in Crimea // Russian newspaper. March 12, 2020