Detention: On October 11, 2017, FSB officers conducted a series of searches in Bakhchisarai and other locations in occupied Crimea. Following the search, civic journalist and Crimean Tatar activist Ernes Ametov was detained. Along with him, Seiran Saliev, Marlen Asanov, Timur Ibragimov, Server Zekiryaev, and Memet Belyalov were also detained. Russian investigators accused them of participating in the activities of the organization Hizb ut-Tahrir under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ('Participation in the activities of a terrorist organization'), which Russia considers terrorist, although it is not banned in Ukraine. Human rights defenders emphasized that the persecution is politically motivated and linked to civic journalism and the active stance of Crimean Tatars.

Sentence: On September 16, 2020, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don fully acquitted Ernes Ametov due to a lack of evidence of his guilt. This was the first and, for a long time, the only acquittal in Hizb ut-Tahrir cases concerning Crimean Tatars. However, in March 2022, the appellate military court overturned the acquittal, and on December 29, 2022, during a retrial, Ernes was sentenced to 11 years in a strict regime colony. On December 15, 2023, the appellate court upheld this sentence.

Ernes Seyarovich Ametov was born on May 30, 1985, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where his family had been deported along with other Crimean Tatars. In 1992, the family returned to Crimea and settled in Bakhchisarai. After school, Ernes entered Tavrida National University, where he obtained a law degree. He married Eleonora, and the couple had two sons. Before his arrest, he worked in his profession, but after the occupation of Crimea, he increasingly dedicated time to civic activities. As a civic journalist with 'Crimean Solidarity,' he covered politically motivated trials, recorded interviews with relatives of political prisoners, and assisted families of illegally imprisoned Crimean Tatars.

On October 11, 2017, armed FSB officers stormed the Ametov household. After hours of searching, Ernes was detained and sent to a pre-trial detention center. Russian investigators claimed he allegedly participated in the activities of Hizb ut-Tahrir. From the outset, Ernes categorically denied all charges, and human rights defenders emphasized that no evidence of preparation or commission of violent acts was provided by the investigation.

During the first trial, Ernes Ametov's case significantly differed from most Crimean Hizb ut-Tahrir cases. The defense highlighted that the investigation provided no evidence of his involvement in the organization's activities. The case materials only included covert audio recordings of conversations on religious topics, expert conclusions, and testimonies of secret witnesses. Lawyers insisted that this was insufficient for a guilty verdict.

On September 16, 2020, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don unexpectedly acquitted Ernes Ametov. The court recognized that there was no evidence of his guilt. This decision was unprecedented: for the first time in Hizb ut-Tahrir cases, a Crimean Tatar received an acquittal. After the decision was announced, Ernes was able to return to his family, but freedom was short-lived.

In March 2022, the Appellate Military Court overturned the acquittal and sent the case for retrial. Human rights defenders viewed this as a political decision and emphasized that the Russian judicial system effectively does not allow acquittals in politically motivated cases.

During the retrial, the prosecutor requested a sentence of 18 years and 6 months of imprisonment for Ernes. Despite the lack of new evidence, on December 29, 2022, the Southern District Military Court found him guilty and sentenced him to 11 years in a strict regime colony. On December 15, 2023, the Appellate Military Court upheld the sentence.

After being transferred to Russia, Ernes Ametov found himself far from his family. Crimean Solidarity, ZMINA, CrimeaSOS, PEN Ukraine, and other human rights organizations repeatedly stated that his persecution was punishment for civic journalism. Before his arrest, he covered searches, trials, and reported on the lives of Crimean political prisoners, making his case an example of pressure on independent journalists in occupied Crimea.

During imprisonment, Ernes maintains contact with his wife and children through letters. Human rights defenders regularly include him in international campaigns supporting Ukrainian political prisoners and remind that the persecution of civic journalists is one of the most common ways to suppress freedom of speech on the occupied peninsula.

As of July 2026, Ernes Ametov continues to serve his sentence unlawfully. Ukrainian and international human rights organizations insist on his release, emphasizing that the case does not meet fair trial standards and his persecution is purely political.

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

Photo: Crimean Solidarity.

Update date: 07/05/2026