The Supreme Court of Russia has upheld in cassation the sentence of Tofik Abdulgaziyev, Vladlen Abdulkadyrov, Izzet Abdullaev, Medzhit Abdurakhmanov and Bilyal Adilov in the second Simferopol case of "Hizb ut-Tahrir" . This was reported by "Krymskaya Solidarnost".
"At the hearing, we, as lawyers, and our clients presented arguments that we have been making for many years. We are absolutely justified in speaking about the illegality of persecution and such huge terms in maximum security colonies for essentially peaceful meetings, studying literature, and so on," said Emil Kurbedinov, lawyer for Tofik Abdulgaziyev.
Abdulgaziyev himself took part in the meeting via video link. The man is in LPU-3 of the FSIN Directorate for Chelyabinsk Region due to tuberculosis. The believer said that he feels good morally, but his health "is deteriorating in such conditions."
In March 2019, mass searches were carried out in annexed Crimea, after which security forces detained Tofik Abdulgaziyev, Vladlen Abdulkadyrov, Izzet Abdullaev, Medzhit Abdurakhmanov and Bilyal Adilov.
In May 2022, the defendants in the case were sentenced under articles on participation in the activities of a terrorist organization (Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code) and preparation for a violent change of power (Article 278 of the Criminal Code with the application of Part 1 of Article 30 of the Criminal Code). Adilov was sentenced to 14 years, and the others to 12 years in prison; all of them will serve the first five years in prison, and the remaining term in a maximum security penal colony.
During his imprisonment, Tofik Abdulgaziyev's health deteriorated significantly. In July 2023, the man was transferred to Verkhneuralsk prison, and in October 2023, he complained of joint pain due to hypothermia in the cell. He reported that he also could not move normally, go for a walk or play sports.
In April 2024, Abdulgaziyev was diagnosed with tuberculosis, as well as bilateral pneumonia, small left-sided hydrothorax (fluid in the lungs), moderate anemia, connective tissue dysplasia syndrome with mitral valve damage (heart disease), chronic heart failure, chronic gastritis, and nephrolithiasis (kidney stones). In August, the court refused to release the believer from punishment due to health reasons.
- The Islamist party Hizb ut-Tahrir has been declared a "terrorist organization" in Russia. Its members are being accused and sentenced to real prison terms simply because they met in apartments, read religious literature, and recruited new members. According to project "Support for political prisoners. Memorial" , the party was recognized in Russia as "terrorist" unlawfully. The Sova Research Center believes that its ban was not without grounds, but persecution due to involvement in this party in the absence of charges for other terrorist crimes often leads to the imposition of disproportionately harsh punishments.
- According to the project "Assistance to Political Prisoners. Memorial" as of July 7, 2024, at least 348 people are being prosecuted in connection with their involvement in Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami, of which 25 are wanted. At least 280 people have been convicted, of which 119 defendants have been sentenced to terms exceeding fifteen years in prison. In total, Memorial has recognized 299 defendants in cases of involvement in Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami as political prisoners (235 of them are currently being prosecuted, 63 of them were released after serving their sentences, and one person has died).