Detention: On August 11, 2022, Russian security forces conducted mass searches in the homes of Crimean Tatars in the Dzhankoy district of temporarily occupied Crimea. Following the search, Seitjaga Abbozov was detained along with other Crimean Tatars in the so-called 'first Dzhankoy Hizb ut-Tahrir case.' He was charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Russian Criminal Code ('participation in the activities of a terrorist organization') and Part 1 of Article 30, Article 278 of the Russian Criminal Code ('preparation for the violent seizure of power'). Human rights organizations emphasize that the charges are based solely on religious affiliation and peaceful religious discussions, and the activities of 'Hizb ut-Tahrir' are not prohibited in Ukraine.

Sentence: On November 26, 2025, the Southern District Military Court of the Russian Federation found Seitjaga Abbozov guilty and sentenced him to 13 years in a high-security penal colony, with the first three years to be served in prison. Following the sentencing, the defense filed an appeal.

Seitjaga Abbozov (Russian: Seytjaga Abbozov) was born on March 7, 1957. He is a Crimean Tatar and a Sunni Muslim. He resided in the city of Dzhankoy in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. There is no information available in open sources about his education, professional activities, or family members. It is known that he had a long-standing interest in breeding pigeons and decorative parrots.

Since the occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in 2014, Crimean Tatars have become one of the main targets of politically motivated persecution. The Russian authorities systematically use criminal cases related to alleged participation in the activities of the Islamic organization 'Hizb ut-Tahrir,' which the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation declared 'terrorist' in 2003. Meanwhile, in Ukraine and most countries worldwide, this organization is not banned, and international human rights organizations have repeatedly stated that such cases are used as a tool of pressure on Crimean Tatars.

On August 11, 2022, FSB officers conducted a series of searches in the Dzhankoy district of Crimea. The searches took place simultaneously in several homes of Crimean Tatars. After the investigative actions were completed, Seitjaga Abbozov was detained along with several other residents of the district. The case was named the 'first Dzhankoy Hizb ut-Tahrir case.'

The investigation claimed that Abbozov allegedly participated in the activities of the 'Hizb ut-Tahrir' organization, possessed religious literature, and discussed Islamic issues. Additionally, he was accused of preparing for the violent seizure of power, although, as noted by human rights defenders, no evidence of preparation for violent actions was presented. The charges were primarily based on covert audio recordings of conversations, conclusions of Russian experts, and testimonies of secret witnesses, which is a typical practice in cases involving Crimean Muslims.

After his detention, Seitjaga Abbozov was placed under house arrest. Unlike most defendants in similar cases, he was not placed in a pre-trial detention center. He remained under house arrest throughout the pre-trial investigation and court proceedings.

In August 2023, the Russian human rights project 'Memorial' recognized Seitjaga Abbozov and other defendants in the first Dzhankoy case as political prisoners. Human rights defenders emphasized that the persecution is politically motivated, and the criminal proceedings lack evidence of preparation or commission of terrorist acts.

The trial took place in the Southern District Military Court of the Russian Federation. As in most similar Crimean cases, the charges were based on affiliation with the Islamic community, expert assessments of religious discussions, and testimonies of anonymous witnesses. Ukrainian and international human rights organizations have repeatedly stated that the use of Russian anti-terrorism legislation in the occupied territory contradicts international humanitarian law.

On November 26, 2025, the court found Seitjaga Abbozov guilty and sentenced him to 13 years in a high-security penal colony, with the first three years to be served in prison. Following the sentencing, the defense filed an appeal. At the time of preparing this material, the sentence had not become final due to ongoing appeal proceedings.

Information used from open sources: USCIRF, Memorial, Ukrainska Pravda, Ukrinform.

Photo: Memorial.

Date of update: 02.07.2026