The detained Crimean Tatar has reported a worsening of vision problems while in pre-trial detention.

34-year-old Abibulla Smedlyaev, who is accused of participating in the activities of a terrorist organisation (Part 2, Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code), has spoken of a worsening of his eye problems while in detention. This was reported by Crimean Solidarity.

Smedlyaev has been held in Simferopol remand prison (SIZO-2) since February.

According to his wife, Liniza Smedlyaeva, he had sight problems before his arrest: he was diagnosed with myopic astigmatism in his right eye and mild myopia in his left eye. A doctor had prescribed him glasses, but during the searches in February his glasses were broken. He still remains in SIZO without glasses.

The man is experiencing severe eye pain, but when he requests eye drops the SIZO staff reply that “it’s not allowed,” according to Smedlyaev’s wife. At the same time, the prison did not let his relatives pass on eye drops to him, saying: “We have those and we’ll give them.” However, he has still not received any drops.

On 20 July, Liniza Smedlyaeva received a letter from her husband in which he once again wrote about his vision problems.

“He says he can’t see far away, and that a black spot appears and his eyes hurt when he looks at things. At the court hearing via video conference, I saw that his eyes really were red,” she said.

Smedlyaev has also caught a cold in pre-trial detention but, despite headaches and body pain, he has received no medical assistance.

Smedlyaev and four others were detained in early February after searches were carried out in the homes of Crimean Tatars. All of them were sent to SIZO. The men were accused of participating in the activities of a terrorist organisation. According to the security services, they were involved in the activities of the Islamic political party Hizb ut-Tahrir. The relatives of the accused say that banned literature and brochures were planted on them.

Smedlyaev has four underage children. Before his arrest, he worked as a builder and in agriculture, and also attended court hearings on the cases of Crimean Tatars.

16 August Abibulla Smedlyaev is in need of medical help due to severe tooth pain, reports Crimean Solidarity, citing his wife Liniza Smedlyaeva.

The man told his wife about the tooth pain in his most recent letter. Smedlyaev had not finished treating the tooth before his arrest in February 2025, she explained.

In addition, he requested a visit from an eye specialist from the Simferopol SIZO-2 administration, but was refused.

• The Sova research centre considers the prosecution of Hizb ut-Tahrir members solely for party activity such as holding meetings and reading literature to be unlawful, since the organisation has not been linked to terrorism.