The UN Committee against Torture called for refraining from executing the sentence of the Crimean journalist

The UN Committee against Torture responded to the appeal of the Crimean citizen journalist Amet Suleymanov to impose a punishment on him, incompatible with his state of health. About this with reference to the head of the human rights organization "Crimea SOS" Alexei Tilnenko write "Krym.Realii".

“In its interim decision, the Committee appealed to Russia with a demand to refrain from executing the sentence until a further decision. The SAT also insists on a comprehensive medical examination and the provision of the necessary treatment,” Tilnenko said.

He noted that this decision could save the life of Suleymanov, who needs an urgent operation to replace a heart valve, while it does not exclude the execution of the Russian sentence, which could be delayed until the convict's health improves.

Suleymanov's lawyer, Lilya Gemedzhi, previously explained that the sentence - 12 years in prison - was fatal for her client: “They sentenced him to die. Imprisonment for a person with such a diagnosis is cynicism.”

Amet Suleymanov and three other defendants in the Hizb ut-Tahrir case were sentenced in the first instance in 2021. So, Suleymanov was sentenced to 12 years in prison under articles on participation in the activities of a terrorist organization (part 2 of article 205.5 of the Criminal Code) and on preparation for a violent seizure of power (article 278 of the Criminal Code with the application of part 1 of article 30 of the Criminal Code). Other defendants in the case - Rustem Seytmemetov, Osman Seytumerov and Seytumer Seytumerov - were sentenced to 13, 14 and 17 years respectively. The court decided to place the men in prison for the first three and a half years of imprisonment, and then in a strict regime colony. On February 10, the Military Court of Appeal in Vlasikha, near Moscow, approved the verdict.

Searches in the homes of Crimean Muslims took place in 2020, after which three of them were placed in a pre-trial detention center, and Amet Suleymanov was placed under house arrest, the preventive measure was in effect until the appeal against the verdict.

Earlier, "Grati" published Suleymanov's monologue: the man said that heart problems began to bother him from early childhood. He was diagnosed with arterial and mitral insufficiency, before the criminal prosecution, the man raised money for an operation to replace a heart valve.

In June 2022, Suleimanov reported a deterioration in his health: he developed a pre-syncope, shortness of breath, exacerbation of rheumatism and high blood pressure.

• The Islamist party Hizb ut-Tahrir has been recognized as a terrorist organization in Russia. Its participants are accused and sentenced to real terms only on the basis that they met in apartments, read religious literature and recruited new participants. According to the Information and Analytical Center “Sova” and the project “Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial , the party was illegally recognized as terrorist in Russia.
• According to the project “Help to Political Prisoners. Memorial” as of February 10, 2023, at least 334 people are being prosecuted in connection with involvement in Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami, of which 27 are wanted. At least 252 people were convicted, of which 107 defendants were sentenced to terms of more than fifteen years in prison. In total, Memorial recognized as political prisoners 280 defendants in cases of involvement in Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami (234 of them are currently being prosecuted, and 46 of them were released after serving their sentences).