In Crimea political prisoner Kuku is denied relatives visits for more than a year

Ukrainian political prisoner and human rights defender Emir-Useyin Kuku has never received permission for relatives visits for a year in the Simferopol SIZO (pre-trial detention centre), despite the fact that activist’s wife Meriem Kuku repeatedly applied for a date with her husband.

As reported by the Crimean Human Rights Group.

According to the CHRG, in written refusals FSB investigator Makhnev refers to Article 18 of the Federal Law of Russia “On the Detention of Suspects and Accused of Committing Crimes”, but does not indicate a specific reason for the refusal.

According to Kuku’s lawyer Oleksiy Ladin, such refusals of meeting relatives are absolutely illegal.

“If earlier the family could see him in a hurry in the courtroom, then now the hearings are held in closed mode. At first, defense plans to appeal this in the judicial system of the Russian Federation and then systematize a complaint and complain to the European Court of Human Rights”, – Ladin explained to the Crimean Human Rights Group.

On June 28, Emir-Useyin showed the first letter in his support, which has passed the censorship of the SIZO and reach the addressee, to his lawyer. It was a letter from the Congress of Ukrainians in Latvia.

“Although there are a lot of such letters, censorship blocks them for unknown reasons”, – said the lawyer.

Earlier, the Crimean Human Rights Group repeatedly recorded that political prisoners imprisoned in Crimean and on the Russian Federation territory are often groundlessly denied meetings with relatives and are not given letters of support, although some of these persons have already been imprisoned for many months.

At the current stage of the Kuku case the investigative actions are coming to an end and the acquaintance with the materials of the criminal case begins. Russian investigators in the case of the Yalta “Hizb ut-Tahrir” six intend to complete the investigation before July 8. As reported lawyer Oleksandr Popkov has reported referring to the investigator. He added that the case could be opened in the military court of Rostov-on-Don.

“Under Russian law, all cases of terrorism, including participation in a terrorist organization, which is mandatory for our trustees, can be considered in several military courts, including the Moscow district and Rostov courts. Which has happened in the case of Sevastopol four of the “Hizb ut-Tahrir” case”, – said the lawyer.

As a reminder, Emir-Useyin Kuku, like other Crimean residents – Vadym Siruk, Muslim Aliyev, Enver Bekirov, Refat Alimovl and Arsen Dzhepparov, – are defendants in the “Yalta Hizb ut-Tahrir case”. The first four accused in this case were arrested on February 11, 2016. Emir-Useyin Kuku, member of the Human Rights Contact Centre, was among the arrested.