Translated material
The arrest of two persons involved in the Hizb ut-Tahrir case was extended for another three months.
The Southern District Military Court extended the detention for three months for the defendants in the second Bakhchisaray Hizb ut-Tahrir case, Ernest Ibragimov and Ali (Oleg) Fedorov. Crimean Solidarity reports this.
The young people will remain in pre-trial detention until at least May 28.
Ernest Ibragimov and Ali Fedorov were sent into custody after massive searches of Crimean Tatar activists carried out by the FSB in February 2021. The men are charged with participating in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist (Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code) - the Islamic party Hizb ut-Tahrir, banned in Russia.
In November, the courtextended their arrest until February. The defense petitioned to change the preventive measure to house arrest: Ibragimov has four dependent young children, and Fedorov has an elderly mother.
Ernest Ibragimov worked as a cook in the Salachik cafe, the owner of which, Marlen Asanov, was sentenced to 19 years of maximum security on charges of organizing the activities of the Bakhchisaray branch of Hizb ut-Tahrir (Part 1 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code). After Asanov’s arrest, Ibragimov was involved in activism in the “Crimean Solidarity” and “Crimean Childhood” projects.
Ali Fedorov attended politically motivated court hearings, took part in information campaigns in support of Crimean Tatar political prisoners and provided financial support to their families.
- The Islamist party Hizb ut-Tahrir is recognized as a terrorist organization in the Russian Federation. In different regions of Russia, as well as in Crimea, cases are being brought against alleged party members for the activities of a terrorist organization. At the same time, members of Hizb ut-Tahrir were not seen preparing attacks or terrorist attacks. Defendants are sentenced to varying terms solely on the basis that they held meetings and read religious literature. On the territory of Ukraine, the activities of Hizb ut-Tahrir are permitted.