Detention: On September 3, 2021, FSB officers conducted searches in the homes of Crimean Tatar activists in Crimea. After the search, Aziz Refatovich Akhtemov was detained. Along with him, his brother Asan Akhtemov, the first deputy head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People Nariman Dzhelyalov, and several other Crimean Tatars were detained. Russian authorities accused them of alleged involvement in the explosion of a gas pipeline in the village of Perevalne on August 23, 2021. After his detention, Aziz was held for several days without access to an independent lawyer. He later stated in court that his initial 'confessions' were made under physical and psychological pressure by FSB officers. According to him, he was beaten, threatened, and forced to memorize a prepared text.

Sentence: On September 21, 2022, the occupation Supreme Court of Crimea found Aziz Akhtemov guilty of sabotage, illegal storage, and smuggling of explosives, sentencing him to 13 years in a high-security penal colony, a fine of 500,000 rubles, and one year of restricted freedom after release. On May 31, 2023, the appellate military court upheld the sentence. Ukrainian and international human rights organizations stated that the case is politically motivated and linked to the persecution of Crimean Tatar activists following the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People and the Crimean Platform summit.

Aziz Akhtemov was born on May 14, 1996, in the village of Pershotravneve, Simferopol district, Crimea. His family was among the first to move to Crimea in 1976-1978.

After finishing school, Aziz Akhtemov enrolled in the College of Radio Electronics in Simferopol. His specialty allowed him to repair various electronic devices: refrigerators, phones, cars, hairdryers, laptops, televisions, and other equipment.

In 2015, he moved to Kyiv, Ukraine, where he worked at the cafe 'Musafir'.

During this period, Aziz joined the public organization 'Q-hub'. He participated in various projects aimed at the social and cultural development of the Crimean Tatar nationality. In Kyiv, Akhtemov also completed courses in auto electrics.

In 2016, he returned to Crimea and started repairing cars.

In 2018, Aziz Akhtemov married. In 2019, his daughter Asiya was born to him and his wife Adila. That same year, he and a partner opened a small auto repair shop in Simferopol.

According to acquaintances and friends, Aziz is compassionate and kind, always ready to lend a helping hand.

On the night of September 3-4, 2021, FSB officers raided Aziz's home. After his detention, he was taken to an unknown location, and his family and lawyers did not know his whereabouts for several days. It was later revealed that he was held in the FSB building in Simferopol. During the trial, Aziz openly stated that his 'confessional' testimony was obtained under torture. He reported being tied to a chair, beaten, and made to believe that his brother Asan had been killed after torture. Only then did he agree to read a text prepared by investigators, which was later used as one of the main pieces of evidence in the case.

During the trial, Aziz Akhtemov retracted his initial testimony, stating it was obtained under torture. He detailed the beatings, psychological pressure, and threats he claimed were used by FSB officers in the first days after his detention. Similar statements were made by his brother Asan Akhtemov and Nariman Dzhelyalov. Despite this, the court refused to order an effective investigation into the torture allegations and did not dismiss the coerced testimony as inadmissible evidence.

Human rights defenders emphasized that the alleged sabotage case on the gas pipeline became one of the most high-profile politically motivated cases in Crimea following the inaugural Crimean Platform summit in August 2021. They particularly noted that the first deputy head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, Nariman Dzhelyalov, was one of the main accused, and the Akhtemov brothers were used to construct the entire prosecution narrative, according to the defense.

On September 21, 2022, the occupation Supreme Court of Crimea sentenced Aziz Akhtemov to 13 years in a high-security penal colony, imposed a fine of 500,000 rubles, and one year of restricted freedom after release. On May 31, 2023, the Appellate Military Court in Vlasikha, near Moscow, upheld the sentence. Ukraine, the European Union, international human rights organizations, and diplomatic missions repeatedly stated that the case is fabricated and the sentence unlawful.

After the sentence became final, Aziz was transferred to Russia to serve his sentence. As with many other Crimean political prisoners, human rights defenders view the transfer to Russian penal institutions as a violation of international humanitarian law, as the occupying state has no right to remove civilians from occupied territory.

On November 5, 2024, Aziz Akhtemov was transferred to Penal Colony VK-10 in the city of Rubtsovsk, having previously been held in Yeniseysk.

Despite imprisonment, Aziz maintains contact with his family through correspondence. His family and human rights defenders regularly update on his case, and international solidarity campaigns continue to demand his release. Aziz Akhtemov's story has become one of the most well-known examples of the use of torture and forced 'confessions' in politically motivated criminal cases against Crimean Tatars.

As of July 5, 2026, Aziz Akhtemov continues to unlawfully serve the sentence imposed by a Russian court. Ukrainian and international human rights organizations recognize him as a political prisoner and continue to advocate for his release.

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

Photo: Crimean Solidarity.

Date of update: 07/05/2026.