A Crimean Tatar delegation traveling from Crimea to Moscow to meet with the human rights ombudsman was detained for the third time in 24 hours. The delegation consisted of 16 people, including the parents of the arrested women, Esma Nimetulayeva, Elviza Aliyeva, Nasiba Saidova, and Fevziye Osmanova, lawyer Nazim Sheikhmambetov, and Crimean Tatar elders.
One of the delegation members, Elvira Aliyeva (Elviza Aliyeva's mother), reportedly required medical attention due to blood pressure issues.
The trip to Moscow was prompted by the recent approval of pretrial detention for the women. Nimetulayeva, Aliyeva, Saidova, and Osmanova were arrested following searches on October 15 on charges of involvement with the Islamic party Hizb ut-Tahrir.
This is the first Hizb ut-Tahrir case brought in Crimea in which women are accused. The party operates legally in many countries, including Ukraine. Human rights activists link the criminal prosecution of Crimean Tatars to their civic stance and protests against repression.
