Security forces use methods of pressure and revocation of licenses against Crimean Tatar lawyers defending political prisoners

Since 2017, at least 15 cases of pressure (fines, arrests, deprivation of licenses) on Crimean lawyers involved in politically motivated cases have been recorded. Crimean Solidarity reports this.

In particular, in 2022, the Chamber of Lawyers of Chechnya deprived the status of defenders of Lilya Gemedzhi, Rustem Kyamilev and Nazim Sheikhmambetov. The procedure took place without their participation.

Recently, lawyer Alexey Ladin was arrested for 14 days for “distributing extremist symbols” and fined 45 thousand rubles for “discrediting the Russian army.”
In 2021, the court found lawyer Edem Semedlyaev guilty due to refusal to comply with the “legitimate demand of police officers.” They forced him to strip naked to check “for extremist tattoos.” For this, Semedlyaev was placed under arrest for 12 days and fined.

A little later, the court arrested lawyers Emine Avamileva, Nazim Sheikhmambetov and Aider Azamatov. The reasons for the arrest are failure to maintain social distance during the coronavirus period and organizing a mass meeting of citizens.

The police also repeatedly arrested lawyer Emil Kurbedinov and conducted searches of his home. After two arrests, they tried to deprive him of his license, but the Crimean Bar Chamber and dozens of human rights organizations around the world came out in defense.

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