Imam Ismail Yurdamov, abducted yesterday from his home in the village of Privetnoye, Kirov region of Crimea, has been released. After the search, he was taken to the police and a report was drawn up under Art. 5.26 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (“Carrying out missionary activities in violation of the requirements of legislation on freedom of conscience, freedom of religion and religious associations”).

According to Yurdamov, early in the morning of December 13, officers from the Center for Emergency Operations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs came to him. They read out the search warrant, which stated the imam’s participation in the Islamic organization Hizb ut-Tahrir, banned in Russia. The phones of all family members were taken away, and the police did not answer questions for clarification. Yurdamov was then taken to the police department, where an administrative report was drawn up.

The imam did not agree with the accusation. The security forces warned him that they would later summon him to trial.
 
According to the daughter of the accused, Gulsum, her father regularly spoke out in defense of unjustly arrested Crimean Tatars. Conducted wedding ceremonies and duas. The imam was respected by all residents of the village and other populated areas.