Detention: On October 11, 2017, officers of the FSB of the Russian Federation searched the home of Crimean Tatar journalist Timur Ibrahimov in Bakhchisaray and detained him as part of the so-called second Bakhchisaray group of the 'Hizb ut-Tahrir case'. Other Crimean Tatar activists were also detained that day. The occupying authorities accused Ibrahimov of participating in the activities of the 'Hizb ut-Tahrir' organization, which is banned in Russia but operates legally in Ukraine and most countries worldwide.

Sentence: On September 16, 2020, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Timur Ibrahimov to 17 years in a high-security penal colony. Appeals and cassation complaints did not overturn the sentence. Ukrainian and international human rights organizations recognized Ibrahimov as a political prisoner.

Timur Izetovich Ibrahimov is a Crimean Tatar civil journalist, activist, father of four, and one of the most prominent Crimean political prisoners of today. His story exemplifies how an ordinary person, striving to help his community and report the truth about events in occupied Crimea, became a target of the Russian repressive system. Today, Ibrahimov's name is included in the list of Ukrainian citizens considered unlawfully imprisoned for political reasons by international human rights organizations.

Timur Ibrahimov was born on January 26, 1985, in the city of Yangiyul, Uzbekistan. His family, like thousands of other Crimean Tatar families, ended up there following the deportation by Soviet authorities in 1944. When he was six, the family returned to Crimea. That same year, Timur suffered a severe eye injury, resulting in a disability. Despite challenging circumstances, he continued his education and achieved significant academic success.

From 1998 to 2003, Ibrahimov attended a boarding school for gifted children with an advanced English program in the village of Tankove, Bakhchisaray district. Admission to this school required passing a competitive selection, indicating his high abilities. Later, he obtained higher education in English and Ukrainian languages, becoming a philologist and translator. Alongside his studies, he worked and eventually engaged in the repair and sale of computer and phone equipment.

In 2007, Timur started his own business in IT and mobile communications.

In November 2008, Timur married Dilara Ibrahimova. The couple raised four children—two sons and two daughters. Relatives and acquaintances remember him as someone who devoted much attention to charity and supporting those in need. Having lost his father early, he empathized with families without a breadwinner and regularly assisted low-income families. This sense of responsibility later defined his active civic stance.

After the Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014, Timur became involved in citizen journalism. Ibrahimov covered searches, arrests, trials, and human rights violations in occupied Crimea. He frequently visited detention sites, supported the families of political prisoners, and helped disseminate information about the actions of the occupying authorities. This activity brought him to the attention of Russian security services.

During the investigation, Ibrahimov refused to plead guilty. At one court session, he insisted on the right to use the Crimean Tatar language and requested a translator, but the court denied this request. Timur emphasized that he was being persecuted not for crimes but for his civic stance, journalistic activities, and belonging to the Crimean Tatar people. His case became one of the most high-profile among Crimean political persecutions.

After being transferred to a colony in the Ryazan region, Ibrahimov's health significantly deteriorated. Due to his visual disability, he requires constant medical supervision. From 2022 to 2025, family and human rights defenders repeatedly reported health issues of the political prisoner. He lost nearly 27 kilograms, was diagnosed with gallstone disease, and began losing vision due to the need for an eye implant replacement. His wife, Dilara Ibrahimova, repeatedly stated that he does not receive adequate medical care in the colony. Doctors acknowledged the need for implant replacement, but organizing such treatment in the place of detention is impossible.

Despite years of imprisonment, Timur Ibrahimov remains a symbol of non-violent resistance to the occupation of Crimea. He has been included in international lists of persecuted journalists, and the Ukrainian PEN and other organizations regularly conduct support campaigns for his defense.

Information used from open sources: Suspilne Crimea, CrimeaSOS, Representation of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, ZMINA, PEN Ukraine

Photo: CrimeaSOS.

Update date: 07/10/2026.