Detention: On May 12, 2016, FSB officers conducted mass searches in the homes of Crimean Tatars, subsequently detaining Remzi Shevkaevich Memetov along with Enver Mamutov, Zevri Abseitov, and Rustem Abiltarov. This case became known as the 'first Bakhchisaray group of the Hizb ut-Tahrir case.' Russian authorities accused him of participating in the activities of the organization 'Hizb ut-Tahrir,' which is recognized as a terrorist organization in Russia, although it operates legally in Ukraine. The investigation claimed he participated in religious meetings where religious and socio-political issues were discussed. Human rights defenders emphasize that the case is politically motivated and lacks evidence of preparation or commission of violent acts.

Sentence: On December 24, 2018, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don found Remzi Memetov guilty under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Russian Criminal Code ('participation in the activities of a terrorist organization') and for preparing to violently seize power (Article 278 of the Russian Criminal Code), sentencing him to 9 years in a strict regime colony and one year of restricted freedom after release. On July 11, 2019, the Supreme Court of Russia reduced the sentence by three months to 8 years and 9 months of imprisonment. On February 11, 2025, Remzi Memetov was released after serving the full term of the unlawfully imposed sentence.

Remzi Shevkaevich Memetov was born on September 9, 1966, in Chkalovsk (now Buston, Tajikistan), where his family was deported during the deportation of the Crimean Tatars. He is an automotive transport mechanical engineer by education. After his family's return to Crimea in 1995, he was unable to work in his field and worked as a cook in Bakhchisaray for over ten years. He also assisted in organizing Muslim holidays and community events. He is married and has raised two sons.

On May 12, 2016, following extensive searches in Bakhchisaray, he was detained as part of the first Bakhchisaray 'Hizb ut-Tahrir' case. The Russian investigation claimed he was involved in the activities of this organization. The charges were largely based on secret witnesses, expert analyses of recordings of religious conversations, and the mere fact of participating in peaceful Muslim gatherings. Human rights organizations have repeatedly stated that the case exemplifies the use of anti-terrorism legislation to persecute Crimean Tatars.

On December 24, 2018, a court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Remzi Memetov to nine years in a strict regime colony. After an appeal, the sentence was reduced to eight years and nine months. He served his sentence in Correctional Colony No. 11 in Stavropol. During his imprisonment, human rights defenders repeatedly reported his deteriorating health, particularly due to arterial hypertension and the need for neurological examination.

On February 11, 2025, Remzi Memetov was released after serving the full sentence. The Representative Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, human rights organizations, and international institutions continue to consider him a political prisoner and an example of politically motivated persecution of Crimean Tatars in the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea.

Information used from open sources: Representative Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Project 'Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial', USCIRF, CrimeaSOS, Suspilne Crimea.

Photo: Suspilne Crimea.

Update date: 26.07.2026.