The Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don granted the prosecutor’s request to extend the arrest to activists from Crimea Rustem Tairovu, Zavor Abdullayev, Jebbar Bekirov and Rustem Murasov. Political prisoners of the Crimean Tatars will remain in detention until 23 July.
The defense has asked to be remanded to house arrest. «The practice of the Southern District Military Court shows that the Crimean prisoners on this charge do not run from court and investigation», - said lawyers, but the court took the side of the prosecution.
Crimean Tatars are accused of participating in the Islamic political party «Hizb ut-Tahrir», which is prohibited in Russia. According to human rights activists, members of the organization are not prosecuted for plotting a coup d'état and terrorism, but for public actions against political repression and criticism of the Russian authorities.
