The Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Crimean Tatar activist Marlen Mustafayev to 17 years in prison on charges of organizing the activities of the Islamic political party Hizb ut-Tahrir. It is reported by "Crimean solidarity".
Mustafayev will have to serve the first three years of his term in prison. At the end of the term, a restriction on freedom of movement for 1 year 6 months will be imposed on him.
Mustafayev has been under arrest since February 9, 2022. Before that, the security forces conducted another series of searches at the Crimean Tatars living on the Crimean peninsula. Simultaneously with Mustafayev, Ansar Osmanov, Ametkhan Abdulvapov, Marlen Mustafayev and Ernest Seitosmanov were detained in the Hizb ut-Tahrir case. According to investigators, Mustafayev was the organizer of the Belogorsk cell of the party.
In his last speech at the trial, he spoke about the threats he received from the policeman on the day of his arrest: “He takes out a gun and pokes it in my face. He takes out a store and says: “If you do something, I will release two stores at you.”
Mustafayev began to engage in civic activism after the annexation of Crimea by Russia. He went to the trials of persecuted compatriots, participated in political actions and helped political prisoners. The coordinator of the "Crimean Solidarity" Mustafa Seydaliyev claims that it was precisely because of his activities that Mustafayev became a defendant in the criminal case.
