Six Crimea residents jailed for taking part in Hizb ut-Tahrir cell

The Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don has convicted six residents of Crimea of being involved in the activities of the Yalta unit of the Hizb ut-Tahrir terrorist organization (banned in Russia) and an attempt to seize power in the country, an Interfax correspondent reported from the courtroom.

Muslim Aliyev received 19 years in prison, Inver Bekirov 18 years, Emir-Usein Kuku 12 years, Vadim Siruk 12 years, Arsen Dzhepparov seven years, and Refat Alimov eight years. They will be serving their sentences in a high-security penitentiary.

Depending on each man’s role and extent of guilt, the court found them guilty on charges of participating in an organization designated as terrorist, in accordance with Russian legislation, and trying to violently seize power.

The defense team has announced plans to appeal the conviction.

“The defendants see their case as politically motivated. Of course, an appeal will be lodged. The appeal contesting the conviction will be filed with the Moscow region’s military panel for criminal cases – in accordance with the new system of judicial authority, which started to function in October this year,” Siruk’s lawyer Emil Kurbedinov told Interfax.

The six were detained in February-April 2016. They pleaded not guilty.

In 2003, the Russian Supreme Court designated Hizb ut-Tahrir as a terrorist organization and banned its activities in Russia.