Russian military court imposes 15-to-19-year terms in Crimea Hizb ut-Tahrir case

The Southern District Military Court handed down prison terms of 15 to 19 years in a case involving a Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami cell in Crimea’s Bakhchysarai district, a court representative said.

Ruslan Asanov received 19 years and Remzi Nimetulayev 18 years. Seydamet Mustafayev, Ametkhan Umerov, Abdulmedzhit Seytumerov and Eldar Yakubov each received 15 years. The sentences provide for imprisonment in a strict-regime penal colony.

The court said Asanov and Nimetulayev organized the cell and the other defendants joined it. Depending on their roles, the defendants faced charges of organizing or participating in a terrorist organization’s activities, as well as preparing a violent seizure or retention of power.

The court described secret meetings, the study of ideological materials and recruitment. It said Umerov held 56.6 thousand dollars collected for the cell’s activities. Russia bans Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami as a terrorist organization.

The verdict has not yet entered into legal force.