Detention: On July 23, 2022, Appaz Kurtamet, a Crimean Tatar from the temporarily occupied Novooleksiivka in Kherson region, was detained by Russian security forces while crossing the 'Chonhar' checkpoint. Subsequently, contact with him was lost for nearly three months, and his family was not informed of his whereabouts.

Sentence: On April 20, 2023, the Russia-controlled Kyiv District Court of Simferopol sentenced Appaz Kurtamet to 7 years of imprisonment for allegedly 'financing an illegal armed formation.' The first year of the sentence was to be served in prison, with the remainder in a high-security penal colony. In August 2023, the appellate court upheld the sentence.

Appaz Khalilovich Kurtamet was born on August 19, 2002, in the village of Novooleksiivka, Henichesk district, Kherson region. He comes from a Crimean Tatar family that values the preservation of national identity, language, and culture. Appaz received part of his education in Turkey before returning to Ukraine. Before the full-scale Russian invasion, he worked in an IT company, volunteered, and taught the Crimean Tatar language at the Odessa Crimean Tatar Cultural Center.

After the full-scale war began in February 2022, Appaz moved with his mother from Kyiv to Lviv, where he continued working remotely in IT and volunteering. In May 2022, his mother went to Turkey to support her elder daughter before childbirth. Appaz decided to temporarily return to his native Novooleksiivka to check on the family home and safeguard the family's property under Russian occupation.

On July 23, 2022, the young Crimean Tatar traveled through the 'Chonhar' checkpoint to visit relatives in Crimea, where he was detained by Russian security forces. Contact with him was completely lost, and his family did not know his whereabouts, condition, or the charges against him for nearly three months. Relatives, human rights defenders, and representatives of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people repeatedly appealed to Ukrainian, Turkish, and international authorities to locate him.

It was only in the fall of 2022 that it became known Appaz was in a Crimean pre-trial detention center. Russian security forces claimed he allegedly 'financed an illegal armed formation.' The criminal case was based on a transfer of about 500 hryvnias to an old acquaintance. According to the prosecution, this acquaintance served in the volunteer battalion 'Crimea' named after Noman Çelebicihan. Human rights defenders emphasized that the transfer was a private loan, and Kurtamet had no intention of financing any military structures.

During the trial, the defense repeatedly pointed out the lack of proper evidence of guilt. The prosecution largely relied on testimonies of so-called 'secret witnesses' and experts who regularly cooperate with Russian security agencies. Human rights organizations reported numerous violations of the right to a fair trial and the political nature of the prosecution.

On April 20, 2023, the occupation Kyiv District Court of Simferopol found Appaz Kurtamet guilty and sentenced him to seven years of imprisonment. The Russian prosecutor's office demanded an even harsher sentence: 7 years of imprisonment. In August 2023, the occupation Supreme Court of Crimea upheld the sentence, and later the Russian cassation court also refused to review it.

At the time of sentencing, Appaz was only twenty years old. Human rights organizations called him the youngest Crimean Tatar political prisoner of the Kremlin.

During his imprisonment, Appaz repeatedly reported harsh detention conditions. Initially, he was transferred to the notorious Russian prison 'Vladimir Central,' where those convicted of particularly serious offenses are held. According to his mother Aishe, the young political prisoner faced psychological pressure, restricted contact with his family, and inadequate medical care. He was later transferred to a correctional colony in the Pskov region of Russia.

Relatives and human rights defenders also reported forced labor, strict disciplinary restrictions, and regular use of solitary confinement. In 2025, Appaz was placed in solitary confinement several times without clear explanations and without any disciplinary violations. His mother repeatedly emphasized that such actions are a form of additional pressure on the political prisoner.

Despite harsh conditions, Appaz continues to maintain contact with his family through correspondence. According to his mother, he reads extensively, studies English, and plans to pursue higher education in engineering technology after his release. In his letters, he tries to remain optimistic and support his family, who are campaigning for his release.

Appaz Kurtamet's story has gained international attention. His mother Aishe has spoken on international platforms, appealing to the United Nations, European institutions, and human rights organizations to seek her son's release.

Photo: Suspilne Crimea.

Information used from open sources: Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Suspilne Crimea, ZMINA, Radio Liberty, Crimean Tatar Resource Center.

Date updated: 16.07.2026.