Rustem Seytkhalilov
Rustem Seytkhalilov, born 1984, 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): Fourteen years' imprisonment in high security prison, one year of restricted liberty. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since March 29, 2019; place of detention: Penal colony No. 9, Karelia. 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
Fourteen years' imprisonment in high security prison, one year of restricted 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
was one of the ordinary members of the "Hizb ut-Tahrir" cell, employing clandestine measures during meetings, he disseminated terrorist ideology among the residents of the peninsula, recruited Crimean Muslims into their ranks, and participated in preparations to overthrow 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
· 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
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №2 (SIZO-2) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Rostov oblast
· Persecution begins
The case of Akim Bekirov, Seitveli Seitabdiev, Rustem Seitkhalilov, Eskender Suleimanov and Asan Ianikov
Criminal case
The case of Akim Bekirov, Seitveli Seitabdiev, Rustem Seitkhalilov, Eskender Suleimanov and Asan Ianikov
Other defendants in the case
- Akim Bekirov — Imprisoned, 14 years
- Seytveli Seitabdiyev — 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, Karelia
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
185012, Республика Карелия, г. Петрозаводск, р-н Птицефабрика, ул. Южная Промзона, 1 стр. 3, ФКУ «ИК № 9 УФСИН России по Республике Карелия», Сейтхалилов Рустем Нариманович, 1984 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
A "Crimean Solidarity" activist. On March 27, 2019, detained after a search and on the same day taken into custody on charges of organising activities of a terrorist organisation in connection with alleged involvement in the Islamist party "Hizb ut-Tahrir", which has no connection to terrorism. He was sent to a pre-trial detention center in Rostov region, later transferred back to Crimea. In March 2020 it became known that Seytkhalilov was also accused of preparing to overthrow the constitutional order. On March 18, 2022, he was sentenced to 14 years in high security prison.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 205.5 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.