29 April 2025
Occupational Court Issues Unlawful Sentences to Khalil Mambetov, Refat Seidametov, Osman Abdurazakov, Leman Zekeriaiev, Aider Asanov, and Ekrem Krosh
On April 29, 2025, the Southern Military Court in Rostov-on-Don issued yet another set of unlawful sentences against six Ukrainian citizens—representatives of the Crimean Tatar people: Khalil Mambetov, Refat Seidametov, Osman Abdurazakov, Leman Zekeriaiev, Aider Asanov, and Ekrem Krosh. All six defendants in the fabricated case were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 11 to 14 years.
Khalil Mambetov and Refat Seidametov were each illegally sentenced to 14 years of imprisonment, with the first four years to be served in a prison facility and the remainder in a high-security penal colony. Osman Abdurazakov, Leman Zekeriaiev, and Ekrem Krosh received identical sentences. Aider Asanov was sentenced to 11 years, with the first three years to be served in prison and the rest in a high-security colony. All six were additionally subjected to one year of restricted freedom following their release. The politically motivated charges included alleged “participation in a terrorist organization” and “preparation for the violent seizure of power,” under Articles 205.5 and 30, 278 of the Russian Criminal Code.
Among numerous procedural violations, defense attorneys emphasized the illegality of the searches, the lack of proper evidence, the use of operational-search materials without proper documentation, and violations of the defendants’ right to legal defense and to counsel at all stages of the criminal proceedings. The defendants themselves stressed that they were being persecuted solely for their religious beliefs and active civic engagement.
The cases of Khalil Mambetov, Refat Seidametov, Osman Abdurazakov, Leman Zekeriaiev, Aider Asanov, and Ekrem Krosh are yet another example of systematic violations of international humanitarian law by the occupation administration in Crimea. Unlawful searches, arbitrary detentions, fabricated charges, convictions based on religious beliefs, and the denial of the right to a fair trial constitute blatant violations of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the Fourth Geneva Convention, and the core principles of international law.As of today, Russia is unlawfully holding 224 Ukrainian citizens in occupied Crimea on fabricated charges of “terrorism,” “extremism,” or “treason.” Among them, 134 are representatives of the Crimean Tatar people. We call on the international community to respond decisively to these continued human rights violations in temporarily occupied Crimea, to intensify political and sanctions pressure on Russia, and to join efforts to put an end to the politically motivated persecution of Ukrainian citizens as soon as possible.