Court upholds sentences for four Crimean Tatars in ‘Hizb ut-Tahrir’ case

A Russian military appellate court has rejected the appeals of four Crimean Tatars—Nariman Ametov, Ali Mamutov, Vokhid Mustafayev, and Enver Khalilyayev—who were convicted of involvement with the organization ‘Hizb ut-Tahrir.’ The sentences handed down by the Southern District Military Court on May 21, 2026, remain unchanged. According to the TASS news agency, citing court sources, the individuals—part of what is known as the "third Dzhankoy group"—were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 14 to 15 years.

Russian security forces detained the Crimean Tatars in March 2024 following raids in the Bakhchisaray and Dzhankoy districts of Crimea. Prosecutors alleged that the men had organized a cell of the Islamic political party ‘Hizb ut-Tahrir’ in the Dzhankoy district.

According to the organization ‘Crimean Solidarity,’ the "third Dzhankoy group" also includes former imam Remzi Kurtnezirov. In May 2026, the court sentenced him to 20 years in prison. Prior to the sentencing, he had been under house arrest due to his poor health.

‘Hizb ut-Tahrir’ has been banned in Russia as a terrorist organization since 2003. Following the occupation of Crimea, Russian security services extended this practice of persecution to the peninsula, initiating criminal cases against Crimean Muslims. According to human rights defenders, Crimean Tatars are being persecuted not for plotting a coup or engaging in terrorism, but for criticizing the Russian authorities and speaking out against repression in Crimea.

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Court upholds sentences for four Crimean Tatars in ‘Hizb ut-Tahrir’ case
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