Detention: On May 6, 2025, Hatidzhe was abducted and held in an unknown location for over two months. On July 14, 2025, the FSB announced her detention on charges under Article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code (treason) and Article 205 (preparation of a terrorist act).

Sentence: As of July 17, 2026, no sentence has been issued. Hatidzhe Buyukchan remains in custody. The Russian Federation accuses her of 'treason', 'preparation of a terrorist act', and crimes related to the illegal circulation of explosives. Human rights organizations consider the case politically motivated and report gross human rights violations.

Hatidzhe Mustafaivna Buyukchan was born on October 10, 2000. She is a Crimean Tatar and a citizen of Ukraine. Before her detention, she lived in the city of Stary Krym. Public sources note her interests included cosplay and beadwork. Prior to her persecution, she was not known as a public or political figure.

On the morning of May 6, 2025, Hatidzhe left Stary Krym by bus for Simferopol. After that, all contact with her was lost. Her phone stopped responding, and her relatives could not determine her whereabouts. The next day, it became known that Russian security forces had detained her, but the occupying authorities did not disclose her location or the grounds for her detention.

CrimeanSOS stated that the situation bore all the hallmarks of enforced disappearance. Human rights defenders emphasized that representatives of the occupying security structures were involved in her detention, after which they concealed information about Hatidzhe's fate and whereabouts, effectively leaving her without legal protection. Such actions violate international law and are among the most severe forms of human rights violations.

For nearly 70 days, her family did not know where Hatidzhe was. Only in July 2025 did the Russian Federal Security Service release a video of her reading a prepared text. Human rights defenders stressed that such recordings are often made under physical or psychological pressure. According to the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, she was held in a pre-trial detention center during this time, and her family requested non-disclosure of information due to safety concerns.

After Hatidzhe's appearance, Russian security forces announced new charges. She was accused of preparing a terrorist act against a Russian serviceman, illegal handling of explosives, and 'treason' under Article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code. Human rights defenders emphasize that there is no independent verification of these claims, and the trial lacks proper transparency and public oversight.

In July 2025, the occupying court extended Hatidzhe Buyukchan's detention. She was later transferred to Pre-trial Detention Center No. 3 in the Rostov region of the Russian Federation, where she remains in custody. Human rights organizations have included her in lists of individuals subjected to politically motivated persecution and warn that she may face life imprisonment.

Hatidzhe Buyukchan's case has become a symbol of increased repression against women in temporarily occupied Crimea. CrimeanSOS notes that in recent years, the occupying authorities have increasingly charged Crimean women with particularly serious offenses, including 'terrorism' and 'treason', which carry life sentences. Human rights defenders call on the international community to increase pressure on Russia and seek the release of all unlawfully detained Ukrainian citizens.

Information used from open sources: Crimean Tatar Resource Center, CrimeanSOS, Suspilne Crimea, Radio Liberty (Crimea.Realities), Ukrainska Pravda.

Photo: Crimean Tatar Resource Center.

Update date: 17.07.2026