A secret prosecution witness in the Crimean Tatar case was unable to describe the defendants.

A secret prosecution witness testified in the Southern District Military Court during the trial of the "fourth Dzhankoy group" of Crimean Tatars. However, during questioning, he was unable to describe the defendants' appearance or provide any details of their daily lives.

Despite claims that he attended meetings with the defendants between the fall of 2021 and the summer of 2023, the witness was unable to describe the defendants' appearance or their lifestyle.

During the hearing, the judge also announced the possible transfer of the defendants from Rostov-on-Don Pretrial Detention Center No. 1 to Novocherkassk Pretrial Detention Center No. 3, citing overcrowding.

Searches of the homes of Bakhtiyar Ablaev, Abibulla Smedlyaev, Mirzali Tazhibaev, and other Crimean Tatars took place in February 2025. They were charged with participating in the Islamic political organization Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is recognized as extremist in Russia.

Relatives of the accused stated that law enforcement officers planted prohibited materials during the searches.

Human rights activists believe that the persecution of Crimean Tatars is not related to the fight against terrorism, but rather to their political and civic activism, criticism of the authorities, and disagreement with Russia's policy toward Crimea.

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