Crimea Muslims face increasing persecution from Russia
By Abdullahi Yusuf
The Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group revealed the increasing political and religious persecution of Muslims in Crimea in a report published on Monday. The report discusses how the treatment of Muslim groups in Crimea, especially Crimean Tatar Muslims, has worsened in the past decade as Russia has become increasingly bold in its repression of opposition.
According to the report, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSD) started its “conveyer belt of persecution” in 2015 due to the Crimean Tatars’ vocal opposition to the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. Akhtem Chiygoz, a Crimean Tatar Mejlis leader, was arrested in 2015 on allegedly fabricated terrorism charges. The lack of an international political response emboldened Russia. After Chiygoz’s arrest, four other Crimean Muslims were detained in 2015 following armed “searches” and imprisoned on allegedly fabricated terrorism charges. One of these men, Ruslan Zeytullaev, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his alleged terrorist activity.
The report observed an increasing use of lengthy sentences to silence civil activists, along with their family members and friends, following Chiygoz’s sentencing. To guarantee convictions, the FSD allegedly relied on “fabricated evidence from FSB-loyal ‘experts’ and anonymous witnesses whose testimony cannot be verified,” framing Crimean Muslims for terrorism.
The persecution has also been fueled by a 2023 ruling by the Russian Supreme Court, which secretly and baselessly labelled the transnational Muslim organization Hizb ut-Tahrir as “terrorist.” While the group is known for its controversial ideology, it remains legal in Ukraine. Nonetheless, Moscow has consistently used these unfounded accusations of alleged ties to Hizb ut-Tahrir to impose harsh sentences—up to 20 years—on Crimean Tatars and other Ukrainian Muslims from Crimea.
The report further highlights that Russia’s application of its domestic laws to occupied Ukrainian territory may violate international law. Under international humanitarian law, occupying powers do not acquire sovereign rights over occupied territories. The introduction of new legislation in these areas is limited to maintaining public order, ensuring genuine security, fulfilling international obligations, and enhancing civil life in the territory.
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