The appellate military court in Vlasich, Moscow, upheld the sentences of civilian journalist Remzi Bekirov, human rights activist Riza Izetov and «Crimean Solidarity» activists Shaban Umerov, Raim Aivazov and Farkhod Bazarov. Earlier, the Southern Military Court sentenced Crimean Tatar political prisoners to terms of imprisonment ranging from 15 to 19 years. During the hearing, Riza Izetov recalled the repression against the Crimean Tatar people. Covert witnesses who can’t be verified and whose secrecy is accepted on faith, books as evidence of terrorism, illiterate experts willing to prove anything for the benefit of their masters - all are not evidence for such a terrible crime, as terrorism and violent seizure of power. It is only an imitation of the stormy activity of Russian security forces in relation to repression against dissenters», - journalist Remzi Bekirov made a final speech.
According to the case file, the defendants did not possess weapons, did not plan to commit a terrorist act or call upon others to carry out terrorist activities. He was accused of participating in the Islamic party «Hizb ut-Tahrir», which is banned in Russia but operates freely in different countries of the world and Europe.
