The pretrial detention of six Crimean Tatars accused in the so-called "fifth Bakhchisarai group" case, linked to the Hizb ut-Tahrir party, has been extended until August 23. This decision was made by the Southern District Military Court.
The defendants are Remzi Nimetulayev, Ruslan Asanov, Ametkhan Umerov, Seidamet Mustafayev, Eldar Yakubov, and Abdulmedzhit Seiumerov. According to defense lawyer Emil Kurbedinov, the prosecutor's motion to extend the pretrial detention contained only formal assumptions, without factual evidence. According to the defense, allegations of possible concealment of the defendants or influence on witnesses are unfounded, as all witnesses have already testified, and the prosecution has presented its evidence.
The Crimean Tatars were detained on August 24, 2023, following house searches. They are accused of participating in a "terrorist organization," which refers to the Hizb ut-Tahrir party, which is banned in Russia. Human rights activists claim that the real reason for the criminal prosecution of these and other Crimean Tatars is their peaceful political and religious activism, criticism of the authorities, and protests against repression.
