04 February 2025

The Condition of Political Prisoner Tofik Abdulhaziiev Has Deteriorated Sharply in a Russian Prison

The health condition of Tofik Abdulhaziiev, a political prisoner suffering from tuberculosis, has worsened significantly in a Russian prison. He has a persistent fever, a severe cough, and difficulty breathing, yet he is not receiving proper medical treatment.

His wife, Aliie Abdulhaziieva, reports that for two months, she has been trying to obtain medical records and official reports on his treatment, but her requests are consistently denied. “Over the past week, his fever has spiked again, and he feels unwell. The doctor prescribed the antiviral drug ‘Kahotsel,’ but no other medication or medical procedures were provided. Later, he developed a severe cough and began experiencing shortness of breath,” said Aliie.

Tofik Abdulhaziiev is a father of multiple children, an entrepreneur, and a musician. On March 27, 2019, occupied Crimea witnessed one of the largest mass searches in recent years targeting Crimean Tatar homes. Within a few hours, 23 individuals, including Tofik Abdulhaziiev, were detained.

In May 2022, after a prolonged court process, a Russian court sentenced him to 12 years in a high-security colony, with the first five years in prison and an additional one-year restriction of freedom following his release.

Like many other Crimean Tatars, he became a target of persecution by the occupation administration. In July 2024, the occupiers unlawfully transferred Tofik Abdulhaziiev to a prison in Verkhneuralsk, Chelyabinsk, Russia.