Detention: On July 7, 2020, FSB officers conducted mass searches in various districts of occupied Crimea and detained Crimean Tatar Ismet Ibrahimov. He was placed in a pre-trial detention centre in Simferopol. Russian authorities accused Ibrahimov of organizing activities for the Islamic political party Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is legal in Ukraine but was declared a 'terrorist' organization in Russia in 2003.

Sentence: On July 8, 2022, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Ismet Ibrahimov to 19 years of imprisonment: the first 5 years in prison, the remainder in a strict regime colony. After serving the main sentence, he was also given 2 years of restricted freedom. On October 2, 2023, the Russian Military Court of Appeal upheld the sentence.

Ismet Tairovich Ibrahimov was born on January 25, 1988, in the village of Sauk-Dere, Krasnodar Krai, but the following year his family returned to Crimea. Ismet spent his childhood and youth in Sudak. After finishing school, he studied at Vocational School No. 38 in Simferopol and later worked in Crimea.

Ibrahimov is a representative of the Crimean Tatar people, who became a primary target of political persecution after Russia's occupation of Crimea in 2014. Before his arrest, Ismet was known as an activist, an expert in Arabic, a religious person, and a caring family man. In 2011, he married. Together with his wife Raziye Mustafaieva, they raised three daughters. Besides his own children, Ismet cared for his elderly parents, who needed his help and support.

After the occupation of Crimea, Russia began to widely apply its criminal law on the peninsula. One of the most common tools of persecution against Crimean Tatars became the so-called Hizb ut-Tahrir cases. Human rights defenders have repeatedly emphasized that such criminal proceedings are mainly based on covert audio recordings of religious conversations, dubious expert analyses, and testimonies from anonymous witnesses. In Ukraine and most countries worldwide, the Hizb ut-Tahrir organization is not banned.

On July 7, 2020, the FSB conducted another wave of searches in the homes of Crimean Tatars. Among those detained was Ismet Ibrahimov. The next day, the occupation court placed him in custody. The investigation charged him under Article 205.5 of the Russian Criminal Code ('organization of the activities of a terrorist organization') and also accused him of preparing to violently seize power. Ibrahimov categorically denied all charges, emphasizing their political nature.

Human rights defenders concluded that the persecution was related to his religious activities and civic stance, and that the elements of a crime were absent in his case.

The trial took place in the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don. Lawyers repeatedly reported numerous procedural violations. In particular, the defense pointed out flaws in the expert analyses, contradictions in the evidence, and the unlawful use of information that formed the basis of the charges. During the appeal, it was even established that the verdict materials contained information about an alleged interrogation of Ismet's parents, although such an interrogation never took place. The appellate court removed these testimonies from the verdict text, but left the verdict unchanged.

On July 8, 2022, the court issued a harsh sentence – 19 years of imprisonment. This is one of the longest terms given to defendants in the Crimean 'Hizb ut-Tahrir cases'. Ukrainian human rights defenders and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine condemned the Russian court's decision, calling it politically motivated.

After the sentence came into force, Ismet was transferred through the Russian penitentiary system. For a long time, he was held in a prison in the city of Dimitrovgrad, Ulyanovsk region. The family repeatedly reported difficulties in communication and obtaining information about his condition. Before one of the transfers, the administration even denied him a visit with his relatives, although he was allowed a brief phone call home.

Particular concern was raised about the political prisoner's health. Human rights defenders and relatives repeatedly reported a deterioration in his well-being. According to public organizations, Ismet required medical assistance from a gastroenterologist and a dentist. There were also complaints about health issues during his imprisonment.

Despite years of imprisonment, Ismet tries to maintain contact with his family through correspondence. For his wife and three daughters, the years of separation have been a severe ordeal. The family continues to seek his release and draw international attention to his plight.

A tragic event for the family was the death of Ismet's mother, Melek Ibrahimova, on August 27, 2025. The political prisoner learned of the loss while in captivity. Due to his imprisonment, he was unable to say goodbye to his mother or support his family during this difficult time. His wife mentioned that in letters, Ismet expressed deep sorrow over this loss and was distressed by his inability to be with his father and family.

In September 2025, Ismet Ibrahimov was transferred from Dimitrovgrad to the Pskov region of Russia – approximately 2500 kilometers from his home in Crimea. Initially, he was taken to the Pskov pre-trial detention centre, and later it was reported that he was moved to Correctional Colony No. 6 in the village of Sosnovy Bor. Such a distance from his home significantly complicates visits and maintaining contact with his family. Despite years of imprisonment, health issues, and separation from his family, Ismet continues to be an example of resilience and endurance for many Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians.

Information used from open sources: Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, ZMINA, Suspilne Crimea, Ukrinform, CrimeaSOS.

Photo: Suspilne Crimea.

Date of update: 24.07.2026