Crimean Tatar political prisoner held in strict conditions for over seven months

Crimean Tatar Edem Smailov has been held in a strict conditions barracks in IK-7 in the Kostroma region for over seven months. He is also regularly placed in a punishment cell, where he has spent a total of two months.

According to Smailov's wife, the penalties are imposed on him in order to prevent him from being released on parole. The man was sent to punishment cells for various reasons: he adjusted his glasses, forgot to put on his hat, was without an apron at his workplace in the sewing shop, and was reading a book at an unspecified time.

Smailov's vision deteriorated and his periodontal disease worsened while in prison. The Crimean Tatar is not being examined; he was only given pills to improve his blood circulation.

On September 16, 2022, the Southern District Military Court of Rostov-on-Don sentenced Edem Smailov to 13 years in prison. He was charged with participating in the activities of a terrorist organization, but he did not admit guilt and stated that he was being persecuted for his religious beliefs - participation in the Islamic party Hizb ut-Tahrir, banned in the Russian Federation.

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