Crimean Tatar Activist Remzi Bekirov Transferred to Abakan Detention Amid Ongoing Political Repression

Crimean Tatar journalist, civil activist, and political prisoner Remzi Bekirov has been transferred from Krasnoyarsk’s detention center to the Pretrial Detention Center No. 2 in Abakan, the capital of the Republic of Khakassia. This information was shared by Bekirov’s wife, Halide, based on a letter received from him, as reported by “Crimean Solidarity.”

As of August 5, Bekirov remains in the Abakan detention center. According to human rights advocates, he was moved from Krasnoyarsk on August 4 in a special prison transport wagon designed for detainees. These wagons are often noted for their poor sanitary conditions and inadequate ventilation.

In his letter to his wife, Bekirov mentioned that the journey was challenging, although he did not provide specific details. He also noted that during his transfer, he would not be able to receive updates from his family.

Bekirov is a well-known civil journalist who has covered politically motivated cases against Crimean Tatars, including those related to the “Vejji Kashka” case and “Hizb ut-Tahrir.” He is also recognized for his efforts in supporting the families of Crimean political prisoners. Bekirov is a father of three minor children.

On March 27, 2019, large-scale raids occurred in the homes of Crimean Tatars, leading to numerous arrests. Authorities accused activists of being involved with the Islamic political party “Hizb ut-Tahrir,” which is classified as terrorist in Russia but remains legal in many other countries.

According to Dmitry Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Crimean Tatars face the most severe repression in the temporarily occupied Crimea. As of December 2023, there are 190 political prisoners either held in Crimea or transferred to the Russian Federation, with 123 of them being Crimean Tatars. Lubinets highlighted that the majority of these prisoners are detained in violation of international humanitarian law.

On March 10, 2022, the Southern Military District Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Remzi Bekirov to 19 years in prison. Earlier, on November 24, 2022, the court also sentenced Enver Ametov and Yashar Mueydinov to 13 years each, and Ruslan Suleymanov, Rustem Sheikhaliev, and Osman Arifmemetov to 14 years each. All convicted individuals deny their guilt and consider their prosecution politically motivated.