A defendant in the Simferopol Hizb ut-Tahrir case has been sent to a punishment cell for 15 days.

Uzeyir Abdullayev, who was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison as part of the Simferopol “Hizb ut-Tahrir” case, has been placed in the solitary confinement unit (SHIZO) at IK-16 in Salavat (Republic of Bashkortostan, in the Urals). This was reported by “Crimean Solidarity.”

According to the mother of the Crimean Tatar, Dilyara Abdullayeva, her son was given 15 days in solitary confinement. He will remain there until 20 September.

The woman believes her son was placed in SHIZO because she filed complaints about pressure on her other son, Teymur Abdullayev. He is also being held in Salavat, but in IK-2 prison.

At the end of August, Teymur Abdullayev reported that staff at the penal institution had forced him to stage a serious disciplinary offence to justify placing him in a high-security unit (EKPT). According to officers, “an order was sent from the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN)” against him. Over his time in prison, the man has spent more than 1,020 days in SHIZO.

His mother filed complaints addressed to Vladimir Putin, the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation, the Ombudsperson for Human Rights, the Federal Penitentiary Service, and the prosecutor overseeing correctional institutions in Salavat. Dilyara Abdullayeva believes it was exactly because of these appeals that her elder son was placed in SHIZO.

“I don’t think this was [the head of IK-16’s] personal decision [to place Uzeyir in SHIZO]. Most likely, it’s pressure on me because of the complaints [about Teymur],” wrote Dilyara Abdullayeva.

Uzeyir Abdullayev was last sent to solitary confinement in spring 2023. At that time, he was released on the advice of a doctor. Medical staff recorded swelling on his foot, which made it painful for him to stand. While at IK-16, Abdullayev was also diagnosed with acquired heart disease and allergic rhinitis (an inflammatory syndrome of the nasal mucous membrane).

“The head of the colony [No. 16] can’t alter the punishment [for Uzeyir], since the prosecutor’s inspection is already aware of the order, but will instruct the doctor to monitor my son’s health daily and, if necessary, transfer him to the medical unit immediately,” commented Dilyara Abdullayeva regarding Uzeyir’s recent placement in SHIZO.

• Uzeyir Abdullayev is a taekwondo master, champion of Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Europe. Before his arrest, he worked as a sports coach.
• The five defendants in the Simferopol case were detained in November 2016 following a series of raids. In December that year, Ayder Saledinov, Rustem Ismailov and Uzeyir Abdullayev told the court that they had been beaten by FSB officers when being transferred for investigative actions.
• The Crimean Tatars were sentenced in June 2019. Teymur Abdullayev was found guilty of organising a Hizb ut-Tahrir cell in Simferopol (part 1, article 205.5 of the Criminal Code). The rest, including Uzeyir Abdullayev, were found guilty of participation in a terrorist organisation (part 2, article 205.5 of the Criminal Code).
• After appeal, the defendants’ prison terms were reduced. Teymur Abdullayev was given 16.5 years in a strict-regime colony, Rustem Ismailov—13.5, Uzeyir Abdullayev—12.5, and Emil Dzhemadenov and Ayder Saledinov—11.5 years each. Rustem Ismailov and the Abdullayev brothers were transferred to prison colonies in April 2020.