CrimeaSOS: the third largest wave of searches took place in Crimea during 10 years of occupation 

On March 5, 2024, the occupying special services searched the houses of the “Crimean Solidarity” activists and religious figures. This was reported by the “Crimean Solidarity”. According to CrimeaSOS analyst Yevhenii Yaroshenko, this wave was the third largest in 10 years of occupation. 

As a result of the search on March 5, 10 people were detained. Among them were activists from Bakhchisarai and religious figures from Dzhankoi area. The searched Crimeans included: 

• imam Vait Mustafaiev. At the time of the search, there were three minor children in the house: twins (4 years old) and a six-month-old baby. Security officers took documents (passport and military ID) and phone from Vait; 
• former imam Ramzi Kurtnezirov. He has permanent disability of the second group. During the search, Remzi’s blood pressure rose to 230, and an ambulance had to be called. 

Yevhenii Yaroshenko notes that such searches take place every six months. For example, previous searches took place on August 24, 2023, on the Independence Day of Ukraine.

Presumably, FSB employees have to fulfil plans of detention under certain articles of the russian criminal code. The career advancement of security forces depends on the implementation of these plans. 

It is known that until today at least 107 people have become victims of persecution for alleged involvement in Hizb ut-Tahrir. If the detainees are arrested today, 10 more people will be added to this list. Some of them have already been persecuted by the occupiers — in particular, Rustem Osmanov and Memet Liumanov. 

russian security forces conducted the largest series of searches on March 27, 2019. Then security forces searched the houses of 24 people. On February 11, 2016, 12 people were searched by the russians, 8 of whom were later released. 

We would like to remind that on February 29, 2024, the occupiers carried out the second wave of searches in Muslim communities in 100 days. The searches, most likely, are carried out with the aim of removing an independent representative of the community and putting a person under the control of the russians.   

Source of the image: “Crimean Solidarity”.