
The Russian occupation of Crimea was not just a violation of international law. It was a watershed for the Crimean Tatars. Before 2014, they were in the process of returning to the homeland they lost when Stalin deported them to Central Asia in 1944. After 2014, they once fell under the blows of the Russian repressive regime: in what has been called a "hybrid deportation, approximately 10% are estimated to have been forced to relocate to mainland Ukraine.
One of the forces of this "hybrid deportation" are fabricated trials in which Crimean Tatar men are accused of terrorism simply for practicing their religion. Their arrests have also become a watershed moment, for their children. A photo project based at the Ukrainian MFA invites us to look into the eyes of these children. We are making it available for all Euromaidan Press readers.

Zekiryaev Server, 47 years old
Physical education teacher at school. Crimean Solidarity activist. Helped transfer provisions and clothing to political prisoners, attended court sessions and searches. Case name: Second Bakhchisaray group of the The Hizb ut-Tahrir case. Charged under Part 2 of Art. 205.5 and under part 1 of article 30 and Art. 278 of the Criminal Code of Russian Federation (RF). In custody from October 11, 2017. Server Zekiriyaev has been sentenced to 13 years in a maximum security prison colony under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 2 of Article 30 and Article 278 of the criminal code of the Russian Federation On July 18, 2019, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on Russia to release all Ukrainian political prisoners, including Zekiryayev. Children:- Zekiryaev Edem. 10/02/1998
- Zekiryaeva Nazife 07.12.2002
- Zekiryaeva Safiye. 08/30/2004
- Zekiryaeva Uriye. 08/10/2008
- Zekiryaeva Melek. 08/31/2011
- Zekiryaeva Hatidzhe. 06/01/2013
- Zekiryayev Ibrahim. 10/11/2016
- Zekiryaeva Kevser. 07/18/2009
- Zekiryaev Muhammad. 05/05/2011
- Zekiryaeva Meriem. 05/05/2012
- Zekiryaeva Asiye. 04/12/2016
- Zekiryaeva Gulsum. 09/28/2017
- Zekiryaeva Aisha 03/21/2018

Omerov Riza, 32 years old
Economist. Attended courts, searches, helped families of political prisoners. Case name: Belogorsk group of the Hizb ut-Tahrir case. Prosecuted under Part 2 of Art. 205.5 of the RF Criminal Code Riza Omerov has been sentenced to 13 years in a maximum security colony, with the first two years in prison, under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 2 of Article 30 and Article 278 of the criminal code of the Russian Federation In custody from June 10, 2019. His father and brother-in-law are also detained and arrested under part 1 of article 205.5 of the RF Criminal Code. This is the largest "family case" in Crimea. On July 18, 2019, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on Russia to release all Ukrainian political prisoners, including Omerov. Children:- Omerov Imran 08/13/2012
- Omerov Suleiman 05/08/2014
- Omerov Ahmad 01/28/2017
- Omerov Isa. 08/09/2019

Dzhapparov Ayder, 40 years old
Electrician, Muezzin (minister in a Mosque). Attended courts, searches, helped families of political prisoners. Case name: Belogorsk group of the Hizb ut-Tahrir case. Charged under Part 2 of Art. 205.5 of the Criminal Code of RF. Ayder Dzhаpparov has been sentenced to 17 years in a maximum security prison colony, with the first two years in prison, under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 2 of Article 30 and Article 278 of the criminal code of the Russian Federation In custody from June 10, 2019 On July 18, 2019, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on Russia to release all Ukrainian political prisoners, including Dzhapparov. Children:- Yasmin Dzhapparova. 07/16/2005
- Ali Dzhapparov. 08/01/2007
- Maryam Dzhapparova. 10/01/2009
- Abdullah Dzhapparov. 02/04/2011
- Ahmad Dzhapparov. 03/30/2013
- Umar Dzhapparov. 09/20/2015
- Osman Dzhapparov. 06/16/2017
- Fatima Dzhapparova. 05/25/2019

Adilov Bilyal, 50 years old
Gas-electric welder, minister in a Mosque. Attended courts, searches, helped families of political prisoners.
Case name: Second Simferopol group on the Hizb ut-Tahrir case. Charged under Part 2 of Art. 205.5 of the RF Criminal Code. Faces 20 years in prison. In custody from March 27, 2019. On July 18, 2019, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on Russia to release all Ukrainian political prisoners, including Adilov. Children:- Adilov Asan 08/15/1994
- Adilova Fera. 01/04/2001
- Adilov Fevzi. 07/20/2002
- Adilov Suleyman. 10/24/2005
- Adilova Sultaniye. 05/03/2010
- Adilova Gulzar. 07/06/2013
- Adilova Sabriye. 09/06/2015

Abdullaev Teymur, 45 years old
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- Abdullayev Umar 01/22/2010
- Abdullayeva Raikhan 10/06/2011
- Abdullayev Usman 10/22/2013
- Abdullayev Ali 04.04.2008
- Abdullayeva Asma 06/22/2016

Mamutov Enver, 45 years old
Plasterer, organizer of mass national holiday events. Case name: First Bakhchisaray group on the Hizb ut-Tahrir case. Sentenced to 16 years 9 months in a strict-regime colony with restriction of liberty for 1 year 6 months under Part 1 of Art. 205.5 of the RF Criminal Code and 2 Article 35, part 1, article 30, article 278 of the Criminal Code. In custody from May 12, 2016. On July 18, 2019, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on Russia to release all Ukrainian political prisoners, including Mamutov. Children:- Mamutov Suleyman 07/01/2006
- Mamutova Madina 07/25/2008
- Mamutov Sahib-Giray 07/07/2011
- Mamutov Umar 01/16/2014
- Mamutova Samira 03/19/2016

Muyedinov Yashar, 52 years old
Builder. Attended courts, searches, helped families of political prisoners. Case name: Second Simferopol group of the Hizb ut-Tahrir case. Charged under Part 2 of Art. 205.5 of the RF Criminal Code. Faces 20 years in prison. In custody from March 27, 2019. On July 18, 2019, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on Russia to release all Ukrainian political prisoners, including Muedinov. Children:- Ibragimova Evelina. 11/20/2000
- Muedinov Muhammad. 12/09/2006
- Muedinova Azime. 07/11/2008
- Muedinova Sumaya 06/21/2011
- Muedinova Amal. 12/22/2013
- Muedinova Ayat. 03/20/2017

Aivazov Raim, 27 years old
Carpenter. Organized food and clothing provisions to the Crimean Tatar activists arrested in Crimea. Case name: Second Simferopol group of the Hizb ut-Tahrir case. Charged under Part 1 of Art. 205.5 of the FR Criminal Code. Faces life imprisonment. In custody from April 17, 2019. He was detained when crossing the Armyansk checkpoint, then tortured. The FSS officer imitated an execution by shooting a gun right next to him. After that, he was taken to the FSS department, where the detention was documented officially. On July 18, 2019, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on Russia to release all Ukrainian political prisoners, including Aivazov. Children:- Ayvazova Ayat 01/02/2018
- Ayvazova Amaliya 02.12.2019

Suleymanov Ruslan, 37 years old
Physics teacher, Crimean Solidarity civil journalist, volunteer of “The “Crimean Childhood” project (the association helps children of political prisoners). Case name: Second Simferopol group of the Hizb ut-Tahrir case. Charged under Part 1 of Art. 205.5 of the RF Criminal Code. Faces life imprisonment. In custody since March 27, 2019. On June 10, 2019, The FSS officers detained Ruslan Suleymanov's brother, Eskender. He is also charged under part 2. 205.5 of the RF Criminal Code. On April 17, 2019, OSCE Representative for Freedom of the Media, Arlem Desir condemned the arrest of Crimean Solidarity activists after mass searches on March 27 in annexed Crimea and called for their immediate release from the Russian pre-trial detention center. On July 18, 2019, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on Russia to release all Ukrainian political prisoners, including Suleymanov. On November 6, 2019, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine recognized the Crimean Tatar civil journalists persecuted in Crimea, including Suleymanov, as a collective prize winner of the Igor Lubchenko National Prize for the Protection of Freedom of Speech. On February 3, 2020, Freedom House, an international human rights organization, called on Russia to review the sentences of Crimean Tatar journalists related to the Crimean Solidarity human rights movement. Children:- Suleymanov Ali. 02/06/2004
- Suleymanov Muhammad. 11/08/2009
- Suleymanova Asiya. 09/10/2014
- Suleymanov Musa. 06/12/2017
Read also:
- Photo project spotlights Crimean Tatar kids born after their fathers’ unlawful arrests by Russian occupation authorities
- Pull off a kangaroo court in five easy steps: a how-to guide from Russia
- (No) right to a fair trial, or a manual to Russia’s conveyor of repressions in Crimea
- Forgotten political prisoners of the Kremlin have hopes for Blinken’s visit to Ukraine