Crimean Tatar political prisoner lost 15 kg in Russian prison

Political prisoner Tofik Abdulgaziev, sentenced to 12 years in prison, has lost 15 kg since July of this year. This was reported by his wife and son who visited him. The man is serving time in the Verkhneuralsk prison in the Chelyabinsk region.

Due to regular hypothermia, Tofik developed pain in the joints of his arms and legs, which periodically intensified. He cannot move normally or go for a walk.

Before his arrest, Tofik Abdulgaziev participated in organizing events for the children of Crimean Tatar political prisoners. He was an activist of the public association “Crimean Solidarity”, a sound engineer, and a participant in the “Crimean Childhood” project.

In May 2022, the Southern District Military Court of Rostov-on-Don sentenced Tofik Abdulgaziev to 12 years in prison. He, like hundreds of other Crimean Tatars, was accused of participating in the Islamic party Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is recognized as terrorist in the Russian Federation. At the same time, in the criminal case there is no information about the planning or implementation of terrorist attacks, as well as calls for them.

Последние новости
Friend of missing Chechen woman detained in Grozny after picket
Human rights
Friend of missing Chechen woman detained in Grozny after picket
23 August 2026

Elena Patyaeva—a friend of Seda Suleymanova, who disappeared three years ago after being forcibly returned from St. Petersburg to Chechnya—was detained in Grozny. On August 23, Patyaeva stood by the monument to journalists who died for freedom of speech, holding a sign that read: "I demand an investigation into the murder of Seda Suleymanova." This was reported by the human rights project "Slovo Zashchite" (Word for the Defense).

Azerbaijani Ambassador Says Russian Media Hinders Closer Ties Between Baku and Moscow
Politics
Azerbaijani Ambassador Says Russian Media Hinders Closer Ties Between Baku and Moscow
23 August 2026

Azerbaijan intends to continue developing relations with Russia, despite the deteriorating media narrative surrounding Baku in Russian outlets. Rahman Mustafayev, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Russia, stated this in an interview with RTVI.

Falling debris from Ukrainian UAVs sparks fires in southern Russia
Politics
Falling debris from Ukrainian UAVs sparks fires in southern Russia
23 August 2026

Wildfires broke out in the Rostov and Krasnodar regions due to falling drone debris. In the Rostov region, the railway overhead power line was also damaged, while in the Kuban region, three people—including two children—were killed in an attack the previous day.

Case over children’s poisoning in Dagestan reaches court
Society
Case over children’s poisoning in Dagestan reaches court
22 August 2026

In Dagestan’s Karabudakhkent District, a criminal case against the head of the private Chudo kindergarten in the village of Paraul, where 10 children suffered carbon monoxide poisoning in February, has been sent to court, the republic’s prosecutor’s office said.
The woman is accused of providing services that failed to meet safety requirements for consumers’ lives and health. The case will be heard by the Karabudakhkent District Court.