Detention: On April 17, 2019, Crimean Tatar activist Raim Aivazov was detained by FSB officers while crossing the administrative border between occupied Crimea and mainland Ukraine at the Kalanchak checkpoint. For about twelve hours, his family did not know his whereabouts. Only in the evening was Aivazov able to inform his family that he had been taken to the FSB office in Simferopol. He was charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5 of the Russian Criminal Code ('organization of the activities of a terrorist organization') in the case of the second Simferopol group 'Hizb ut-Tahrir'. Ukrainian and international human rights organizations stated that the case was politically motivated, and that Aivazov was subjected to torture and psychological pressure after his detention.

Sentence: On March 10, 2022, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Raim Aivazov to 17 years in prison. The first five years are to be served in prison, with the remainder in a strict regime colony. Additionally, the court imposed a one-year and six-month restriction of freedom. Human rights defenders emphasize that the charges were based on covert audio recordings of religious conversations, expert conclusions, and testimonies of anonymous witnesses, with no evidence of preparation or commission of violent acts presented.

Raim Khalilovich Aivazov was born on January 30, 1994, in Simferopol, where he spent his childhood and youth. He attended School No. 42 and, after the ninth grade, entered the Simferopol Vocational Construction Lyceum, where he trained as a carpenter. After his studies, he worked, married, and started a family. Later, the couple had children.

Before his arrest, Raim was well-known among the Crimean Tatar community. He actively assisted the families of political prisoners, organized deliveries to Rostov-on-Don for illegally detained Crimeans, regularly attended court sessions, and supported the relatives of those persecuted by the Russian authorities. According to human rights defenders, it was this civic activity that attracted the attention of FSB officers.

On the night of April 17, 2019, Raim set out through the Kalanchak checkpoint to mainland Ukraine. After passing Russian control, contact with him was suddenly lost. For almost half a day, his family did not know his whereabouts. Only in the evening did Aivazov call his sister to inform her that he had been detained by FSB officers and subsequently officially charged in the 'Hizb ut-Tahrir' case.

After his detention, Raim Aivazov told his lawyer that FSB officers subjected him to physical and psychological pressure to obtain a confession. He stated that he was beaten, suffocated with a bag, threatened with violence, and forced to sign pre-prepared documents. He later retracted these statements, explaining that they were made under torture. Ukrainian and international human rights organizations demanded an independent investigation, but Russian investigators refused to open a criminal case regarding the actions of the FSB officers.

Aivazov's case was considered alongside those of four other Crimean Tatar activists — Seyran Saliyev, Osman Arifmemetov, Ruslan Suleymanov, and Nazim Bekirov. The Russian investigation claimed they were all involved in the activities of the 'Hizb ut-Tahrir' organization. Meanwhile, the defense emphasized that the charges were mainly based on covert audio recordings of religious discussions, linguistic examinations, and testimonies of secret witnesses. No evidence of preparation or commission of violent acts was presented during the trial.

On March 10, 2022, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don found Raim Aivazov guilty and sentenced him to 17 years in prison. According to the sentence, the first five years are to be served in prison, with the remainder in a strict regime colony. Additionally, the court imposed a one-and-a-half-year restriction of freedom after release. Human rights defenders called this sentence politically motivated and part of the systematic persecution of Crimean Tatars on the occupied peninsula.

After the sentence was upheld on March 28, 2023, in the appellate court of the city of Valshikha, he was unlawfully transferred to a prison in Dimitrovgrad, Ulyanovsk region, Russia.

He remained in prison until August 2024, when he was again transferred — to IK-21 in Arkhangelsk region, over 1500 km from Crimea, where he remains today.

After the sentence came into force, Raim was transferred to Russia. The distance between the place of imprisonment and Crimea is thousands of kilometers, significantly complicating the possibility of visits from family. Human rights defenders have repeatedly emphasized that the practice of transferring Crimean political prisoners to the territory of the Russian Federation violates international humanitarian law norms, including the provisions of the Geneva Convention, which prohibits the transfer of civilian populations from occupied territories.

Despite prolonged imprisonment, Raim continues to maintain contact with his family through correspondence. Relatives report that he tries to keep his spirits up, is interested in his children's lives, and thanks everyone who sends him letters of support. Human rights defenders regularly include his name in international campaigns for the protection of Crimean political prisoners and remind of the necessity of his release.

As of July 2026, Raim Aivazov continues to serve an unlawful sentence in the Russian Federation. Ukrainian human rights organizations — ZMINA, Crimean Solidarity, CrimeaSOS, Crimean Tatar Resource Center, as well as the Representation of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea — consistently state that his case is political in nature, and the torture and illegal conviction he faced constitute a gross violation of international law.

Information used from open sources: ZMINA, Crimean Solidarity, CrimeaSOS, Crimean Tatar Resource Center, Representation of the President of Ukraine in the ARC, Radio Liberty, Zhytomyr Regional State Administration.

Photo: Crimean Solidarity.

Date updated: 04.07.2026