Akim Bekirov
Akim Bekirov, born 1988, Occupied territory of Republic of Crimea. Charges: Article 205.5 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in the activities of a terrorist organization); Article 278 applied with Article 30 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Preparing for violent seizure of power or alteration of the constitutional order); “The case of Akim Bekirov, Seitveli Seitabdiev, Rustem Seitkhalilov, Eskender Suleimanov and Asan Ianikov”. Sentence (March 18, 2022): 14 years' imprisonment in a strict regime colony, 1 year of restriction of liberty. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since March 1, 2019; place of detention: Penal colony No. 9, Chuvashia. Recognition: Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, May 23, 2019; Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion, May 13, 2019.
In brief
Occupied territory of Republic of Crimea · Simferopol · Construction workers · Terrorism cases, Cases against Hizb ut-Tahrir
Sentence
14 years
imprisonment in a strict regime colony, 1 year of restriction of liberty
Upheld April 16, 2025
Charges
- Article 205.5 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Participation in the activities of a terrorist organization
- Article 278 applied with Article 30 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Preparing for violent seizure of power or alteration of the constitutional order
Full wording of the charges
He was one of the lower-level members of the Hizb ut-Tahrir cell, spread terrorist ideology among the inhabitants of the peninsula during meetings, using conspiracy measures, recruited Crimean Muslims, and participated in preparations for the overthrow of the constitutional order.
Latest event
April 16, 2025 — cassation
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, May 23, 2019
- Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, May 13, 2019
Timeline
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Imprisonment begins
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 14 years
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners
· Recognised as unlawfully deprived of liberty for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Persecution begins
The case of Akim Bekirov, Seitveli Seitabdiev, Rustem Seitkhalilov, Eskender Suleimanov and Asan Ianikov
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for the Rostov Region
Criminal case
The case of Akim Bekirov, Seitveli Seitabdiev, Rustem Seitkhalilov, Eskender Suleimanov and Asan Ianikov
Other defendants in the case
- Seytveli Seitabdiyev — Imprisoned, 14 years
- Rustem Seytkhalilov — Imprisoned, 14 years
- Eskender Suleimanov — Imprisoned, 15 years
- Asan Ianikov — Imprisoned, 15 years
Thematic group: Second Simferopol case of "Hizb ut-Tahrir"
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 9, Chuvashia
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
429900,Чувашская Республика, г. Цивильск, ул. Северная, д. 13, ФКУ «ИК № 9 УФСИН России по Чувашии», Бекиров Аким Экремович, 1988 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
Crimean Solidarity activist. On March 27, 2019, detained after a search and on the same day taken into custody on charges of organizing activities of a terrorist organisation. Sent to a pre-trial detention centre in Rostov region, later transferred back to Crimea. In March 2020, it became known that Bekirov was also accused of preparing to overthrow the constitutional order. On March 18, 2022, he was sentenced to 14 years in a strict regime colony.
Other people prosecuted under Article 205.5 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.