CrimeaSOS: 107 people became victims of persecution for “involvement in Hizb ut-Tahrir”

During almost 10 years of the occupation of Crimea, 107 people, most of whom are Crimean Tatars, became victims of persecution by the occupiers for their alleged involvement in the activities of Hizb ut-Tahrir. The data was announced by Yevhenii Yaroshenko, an analyst of the NGO “CrimeaSOS”, as part of the press conference “Political prisoners of the Kremlin: what happens to Ukrainians whom russia keeps behind bars?”.

According to CrimeaSOS, the occupiers are persecuting at least 107 people for “affiliation with Hizb ut-Tahrir”. Activists are planted literature during searches, eavesdropped on conversations on religious and political topics (they are deciphered by experts who work closely with the FSB), and “secret witnesses” are attracted (their data are not revealed during court proceedings). 

The geography of imprisonments is growing: those arrested are taken to Bashkortostan, the North Caucasus, the Urals, Chelyabinsk Region and Krasnoyarsk Territory. 

The analyst of the NGO “CrimeaSOS” singled out five conditional groups who are persecuted:

• pro-Ukrainian activists and independent journalists;
• Crimean Tatar activists (they are persecuted, in particular, on religious grounds);
• human rights defenders and civic activists (including members of “Crimean Solidarity”);
• citizens with anti-war views and Crimean Tatars in the newly occupied territories;
• independent lawyers.

On January 12, Ukraine 5AM Coalition held the press conference “Political prisoners of the Kremlin: what happens to Ukrainians whom russia keeps behind bars?”. The event took place at the Ukraine-Ukrinform Media Centre (8/16 B. Khmelnytskoho St., Kyiv).

Participants of the press conference:  Olha Skrypnyk, head of the Board of the Crimean Human Rights Group, Yevhenii Yaroshenko, analyst of NGO “CrimeaSOS”, Khrystyna Shkudor, advocacy manager of the “Where Are Our People?” initiative, PR Army NGO. 

The recording of the conference can be viewed at the link. 

We would like to remind you that Hizb ut-Tahrir is an international political Islamic party, which was recognized as a terrorist organization by the decision of the Supreme Court of the russian federation in 2003, but it operates legally on the territory of Ukraine and most countries of the world. The occupiers issue sentences to up to 20 years in prison for alleged involvement in Hizb ut-Tahrir.