On December 11, a protest took place in front of the Armenian Embassy in Moscow. Participants demanded that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who was attending a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union Council, release persecuted clergy.
Crimean Tatar Ansar Osmanov, sentenced to 20 years, was transferred from the Novocherkassk pretrial detention center in the Rostov region to a prison in Vladimir.
In 2023, the man was found guilty under articles on organizing the activities of a terrorist organization and preparing for the violent seizure of power. He is accused of participating in the Islamic political party Hizb ut-Tahrir, which has been banned in Russia since 2003. The charge is based on a secret recording in the home of Osmanov's comrade, where they talked about everyday and religious topics, as well as about the persecution of Crimean Tatars and how to help their families.
Before his imprisonment, Osmanov worked as a woodcarver, was a member of the Crimean Solidarity movement and an active visitor to courts on politically motivated cases.
Hizb ut-Tahrir operates without restrictions in Ukraine and most countries around the world. According to human rights activists, members of the organization are persecuted for criticizing the authorities and public actions against political repression in Crimea.