Freedom House calls for release of Crimean Tatar citizen journalist Server Mustafayev
Freedom House has called on Russia to release Crimean Tatar human rights defender and citizen journalist Server Mustafayev, whom an occupation court sentenced to 14 years in prison in a terrorism case, reported former Ukrainian Ambassador to the US Oksana Markarova, who currently heads the supervisory board of Ukraine House in Washington. She published a joint photo with Freedom House chief executive Jamie Fly and spoke about their years-long cooperation to free Ukrainian political prisoners, including Vladyslav Yesypenko, Nariman Dzhelyal and Maksym Butkevych.
Defendants in the second Bakhchysarai Hizb ut-Tahrir case, Server Mustafayev in the center of the frame. Photo: GratyFreedom House called for the release of Mustafayev and all other people unlawfully detained by Russia on political grounds.
Server Mustafayev is the coordinator of the Crimean Solidarity civic movement, which assisted the families of political prisoners in Crimea until it announced in July 2026 that it would cease its activities. From 2014, he documented human rights violations on the peninsula and covered politically motivated trials. On 21 May 2018, officers of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) detained Mustafayev in Bakhchysarai in the so-called “Hizb ut-Tahrir” case. Other Crimean Tatars were prosecuted alongside him as part of this case. The Russian occupying authorities accused them of involvement in the activities of an organisation banned in Russia.
On 16 September 2020, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced defendants in the so-called second Bakhchysarai case. Those involved were sentenced to terms ranging from 13 to 19 years in prison. Mustafayev was sentenced to 14 years in a penal colony. On 14 March 2022, Russia’s military court of appeal upheld the verdict. In total, more than 45 court hearings were held in the case.
Mustafayev’s health has deteriorated while in detention. As ZMINA reported earlier, his spine problems have worsened, he suffers from neck and head pain, and his eyesight has deteriorated. He has also developed psoriasis, accompanied by itching and dry skin.
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