Arrest: On July 7, 2020, Russian security forces searched the home of Seyran Khayretdinov in the village of Bilokamyanka, Bakhchisaray district, occupied Crimea. After the search, he was detained and taken to the illegal FSB office in Simferopol. That day, security forces conducted mass searches in the homes of Crimean Tatars and detained seven people. Seyran Khayretdinov was charged with participating in the activities of the organization Hizb ut-Tahrir.

Sentence: On May 17, 2023, the Southern District Military Court of the Russian Federation sentenced Seyran Khayretdinov to 12 years in a strict regime colony. He was found guilty under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Russian Criminal Code for participating in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist by Russian authorities, and under Part 1 of Article 30, Article 278 of the Russian Criminal Code for allegedly preparing for the violent seizure of power. The first four years of the sentence were to be served in prison, followed by a strict regime colony; the court also imposed one year of restricted freedom.

Seyran Nuriyevich Khayretdinov was born on October 3, 1986, in the city of Kasansay, Namangan region, Uzbekistan. In the late 1980s, his family returned to Crimea as part of the process of repatriating Crimean Tatars to their historical homeland. The family settled in the village of Bilokamyanka, Bakhchisaray district.

In 1993, Seyran entered the first grade of Turgenev Secondary School. After completing the ninth grade, in 2002, he enrolled in the Bakhchisaray Vocational Construction Lyceum. He graduated in 2005, obtaining qualifications as a car repair locksmith and a vehicle driver. He did not work in these professions; after graduation, he engaged in construction work with his father.

In 2009, Khayretdinov married. The couple has three children. In 2017, Seyran performed the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
Before his arrest, Khayretdinov actively participated in the life of the Crimean Tatar community. He helped organize religious and community events, including children's celebrations, and attended court hearings in politically motivated cases against Crimean Tatars.

On July 7, 2020, his home was searched by Russian security forces. After his detention, Khayretdinov, along with other defendants in the so-called fourth Bakhchisaray Hizb ut-Tahrir case, was taken into custody. Human rights activists emphasized that criminal prosecutions under this article are based, among other things, on religious discussions and materials that Russian investigators interpret as evidence of participation in a banned organization in Russia. In November 2022, the court refused to interrogate the prosecution's experts despite the defense's arguments about methodological violations during the examinations.

During his imprisonment, Khayretdinov's health deteriorated. In 2021, he complained of heart pain. In May 2023, he developed a severe rash all over his body, his temperature rose, and he experienced pain and severe itching. He was hospitalized in the interregional tuberculosis hospital in Rostov-on-Don, where he was diagnosed with pityriasis, but treatment was not completed, and he was prematurely returned to the pre-trial detention centre. Due to illness and inadequate conditions, he lost about four kilograms.

On May 17, 2023, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don found Seyran Khayretdinov guilty and sentenced him to 12 years of imprisonment. He was convicted under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Russian Criminal Code for participating in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist by Russian authorities, as well as under Part 1 of Article 30 and Article 278 of the Russian Criminal Code for allegedly preparing for the violent seizure of power. The first four years of the sentence were to be served in prison, with the remainder in a strict regime colony. The court also imposed one year of restricted freedom after release.

In November 2024, the Crimean Tatar Resource Center reported that during four years of imprisonment, Seyran's wife Zarema and their children were not allowed any visits. In the pre-trial detention centre, his eczema worsened, and he developed dental problems and otitis. According to his wife, medical assistance was provided inadequately.

After the sentence, Khayretdinov was transferred from the Rostov region to Russian penal institutions. In 2024, he was held in Pre-trial Detention Centre No. 3 in Novocherkassk, and at the beginning of 2025, he was moved to Prison No. 2 in Vladimir – 'Vladimir Central'. In April 2026, it was reported that he was transferred to Correctional Colony No. 6 in the village of Sosnovy Bor, Pskov region. During the transfer, he lost about five kilograms.

As of September 13, 2026, he continues to serve his sentence in the Russian Federation.

Information used from open sources:ZMINA, Crimean Tatar Resource Center, Representation of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Association of Relatives of Kremlin Political Prisoners, Suspilne Crimea.

Photo: ZMINA.

Date of update: 13.09.2026.