Arrest: On October 12, 2016, FSB officers conducted mass searches in the homes of Crimean Tatars in Simferopol. Following the search, Uzeir Abdullaev was detained along with his brother Teymur Abdullaev, Rustem Ismailov, Emil Dzhemadenov, and Ayder Saliev. They were all accused of participating in the activities of the organization Hizb ut-Tahrir, which Russia has designated as terrorist, although it is not banned in Ukraine. Ukrainian and international human rights organizations stated from the outset that the case is political and part of systematic persecution of Crimean Tatars in occupied Crimea.

Sentence: On June 18, 2019, the North Caucasus District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Uzeir Abdullaev to 13 years in prison. In December 2019, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation reduced the sentence by six months. The final sentence was 12 years and 6 months in a high-security colony.

Uzeir Abdullaev was born on April 30, 1974, in Baku. He grew up in a family that combined Crimean Tatar and Azerbaijani traditions. He was raised by his mother, who worked hard to ensure he received a good education and found his calling. From a young age, Uzeir was passionate about music, studying at an art school, but later his main focus became sports. He practiced karate, judo, and taekwondo professionally, earned the title of Master of Sports, and became a European taekwondo champion.

In the mid-1990s, he moved to Crimea, settled in Stroganovka near Simferopol, and obtained a law degree. However, he did not pursue a career in law, instead dedicating himself to coaching. For over twenty years, he taught taekwondo to children and youth, training dozens of athletes, including champions and prize-winners of national and international competitions. At one time, he also trained Ukrainian security personnel. His wife later recalled that among the Russian guards escorting him after his arrest were former students.

Together with his wife Fera, Uzeir raised four children. He was respected among his fellow villagers, always helping those in need, and actively participated in the life of the Crimean Tatar community. After the occupation of Crimea began, he supported the families of political prisoners, attended searches, court hearings, and remained engaged with the persecution of his compatriots. Human rights defenders believe this civic stance was one of the reasons for his persecution.

On October 12, 2016, FSB officers came to the Abdullaevs' home. After the search, Uzeir was detained and placed in a pre-trial detention centre. Russian investigators claimed he was a member of a Hizb ut-Tahrir cell. Meanwhile, the defense and human rights organizations emphasized that the case materials lacked evidence of preparation or commission of violent acts. The charges, as in many other Hizb ut-Tahrir cases, were based on recordings of religious conversations, expert conclusions, and testimonies of anonymous witnesses.

A few months after his arrest, Uzeir's health began to deteriorate sharply. He developed vein inflammation, his leg swelled severely, and he had a high fever. Doctors suspected sepsis and a risk of a thrombus detachment. The family and lawyers repeatedly demanded immediate hospitalization, but he received proper medical care with significant delay. This case became one of the most prominent among Crimean political prisoners and attracted the attention of Ukrainian human rights defenders and the international community.

After the sentence became final, Uzeir was transferred to Correctional Colony No. 16 in Salavat (Bashkortostan). There, new challenges began. Despite serious health issues, the colony administration regularly placed him in a punishment cell. His wife reported that almost every minor violation became a reason for new disciplinary punishment.

In March 2020, it became known that the Abdullaev brothers were illegally transferred to Correctional Colony No. 2 in Salavat, Bashkortostan, over 1500 km from Crimea.

Upon arrival, both were immediately placed in a punishment cell. In May 2021, the colony administration extended their stay in the punishment cell until June 6 due to their refusal to cooperate with Russian special services.

In February-March 2021, Teymur experienced a hypertensive crisis, forcing him to remain bedridden even in the punishment cell. In the summer, after another term in the punishment cell ended, he was temporarily transferred to a unit with strict conditions. However, he was soon regularly returned to the punishment cell.

Uzeir's health issues also worsened; after an ECG in prison, the colony doctor diagnosed him with acquired heart disease. Additionally, he suffered from allergic rhinitis.

“My husband has constant swelling in his foot, he cannot stand for long – the pain worsens,” said Uzeir's wife in 2023.

Due to the harsh conditions, the health of political prisoners continues to deteriorate, but the occupying administration refuses to provide him with medical assistance.

“He cannot focus on objects. Everything is blurred and distorted. He wears glasses, but with or without them, he experiences severe eye pain,” said the political prisoners' mother, Dilara Abdullaev, about Teymur's condition.

Information used from open sources: ZMINA, CrimeaSOS, Crimean Solidarity, Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Crimean Tatar Resource Center, Ukrinform.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

Last updated: 04.07.2026.