Ukraine handed over materials on the prosecution of Crimeans in the “Hizb Ut-Tahrir” case to UN Court

All materials on Crimeans as part of the Russian "Cases of Hizb ut-Tahrir" were transferred to the international courts, the Deputy permanent representative of the President of Ukraine in the ARC, Tamila Tasheva reported in live braodcast of Krym.Realii radio, the Radio Liberty Project. This is reported by Radio Svoboda (Liberty).

According to her, Ukraine considers these cases illegal and considers such persecution of Crimeans by the Russian authorities as "proceedings against humanity".

"All these materials are transferred to all international courts, including the international court of justice. Clearly, we classify these persecutions not as those of alleged terrorists, but primarily as the persecution on ethical and religious grounds. Definitely, it should be qualified as crimes against humanity, " Tasheva said.

On November 12, the southern district military court in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don sentenced six defendants in Yalta's "Hizb ut-Tahrir case" to imprisonment in a colony. According to the court decision, Muslim Aliyev was sentenced to 19 years in prison, Inver Bekirov to 18 years, Emir-Useinu Kuku to 12 years, Vadim Siruk to 12 years, Arsen Jepparov to 7 years and Refat Alimov to 8 years. They will serve time in a maximum security colony.

The lawyers said they intend to appeal the verdict of the Russian court.

Alexander Artemyev, a spokesman for Amnesty International's Russian branch, called the verdict "political persecution."

The defendants, in this case, were detained in February-April 2016 in Yalta. They are accused of involvement in the Islamic political organization "Hizb ut-Tahrir" banned in Russia.

The Ministry of foreign Affairs of Ukraine demands from Russia to release the defendants in the Yalta "case of Hizb ut-Tahrir".