Crimean Tatar activist Memet Belyalov, sentenced to 18 years, was transferred to IK-9 in Petrozavodsk (Karelia) and immediately placed in a strict regime barracks (SUS).
The man's relatives report that they have no contact with him and are unable to receive letters from him. Belyalov was previously transferred from a colony in the Novgorod region. There, he was sent to a punishment cell many times, including for not having time to change into a long-sleeved shirt before the colony staff arrived.
Memet Belyalov was convicted on charges of participating in the Islamic party Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is recognized as terrorist in the Russian Federation. Human rights activists noted that members of Hizb ut-Tahrir have not been known to prepare attacks or terrorist acts, and persecution in Russia is based solely on the fact that members of the group held meetings and read religious literature.
