The Supreme Court of Crimea considered the appeals and left the Crimean Solidarity activists from Bakhchisarai in pretrial detention. Seydamet Mustafayev, Eldar Yakubov, Abdulmedzhit Seitumerov, Ruslan Asanov, Ametkhan Umerov and Remzi Nimetulaev will be under arrest at least until April 22.

Lawyer Emil Kurbedinov said that the decision to leave the defendants in the pre-trial detention center was made under pressure from the special services. “The real reason for keeping Crimean political prisoners in such strict conditions is to put pressure on them. Revenge for the fact that they refused to incriminate themselves and others and admit non-existent guilt,” Kurbedinov said.

Crimean Tatars were arrested at the end of August 2023. Previously, they had been detained more than once at rallies in support of other arrested compatriots. They are accused of participating in the Islamic party Hizb ut-Tahrir, banned in the Russian Federation. In Ukraine and other countries of the world, the party operates legally, and its members are not persecuted.