Arrest of four defendants in the Bakhchysarai “Hizb ut-Tahrir case” is extended until September 12
Today the Kremlin-controlled Supreme Court of annexed Crimea made a decision to extend the arrest of four defendants in the Bakhchysarai “Hizb ut-Tahrir case” – Remzi Memetov, Rustem Abeltarov, Zevri Abseitov and Enver Mamutov until September 12.
As reported by Anton Naumlyuk, reporter of the Radio Svoboda (Radio Liberty) in Crimea, to the Krym.Realiyi.
According to him, the court hearing and the announcement of the decision took place in a closed session.
As reported by Crimean activist Osman Arifm on his Facebook page, more than 30 people came to the court to support the detained Bakhchysarai residents.
As a reminder, in early May the court extended the term of arrest for all four defendants of the Bakchysarai “Hizb ut-Tahrir case” until July 11, 2017.
On May 12, 2016, in Bakhchysarai the Russian security forces conducted a series of searches in the homes of Muslims, as well as at a local cafe. As a result, four Bahchisarai residents, Zevri Abseitov, Remzi Memetov, Rustem Abeltarov and Enver Mamutov were detained and accused of terrorism and involvement in the organization “Hizb ut-Tahrir”, which is recognized as terrorist in the Russian Federation.
Defenders of arrested and convicted Crimean residents in the “Hizb ut-Tahrir” case consider their persecution to be motivated on religious grounds. Lawyer Emil Kurbedinov notes that in this case the Russian law enforcement bodies are mostly pursuing Crimean Tatars, as well as Ukrainians, Russians, Tajiks, Azerbaijanis and Crimean residents of another ethnic origin who profess Islam.
Mass searches of the houses of independent journalists, social activists, activists of the Crimean Tatar national movement, members of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People and Crimean Muslims with suspected ties to the Hizb ut-Tahrir organization, which is banned in Russia, became more frequent in the Crimea after the Russian annexation.
