Detention: On March 5, 2024, Russian security forces conducted mass searches in the homes of Crimean Tatars in the Bakhchisaray and Dzhankoy districts of temporarily occupied Crimea. Among those detained was Vokhid Mustafayev, a resident of the Dzhankoy district, a religious figure, and the imam of a mosque in the village of Lobanovo. On the same day, he was remanded in custody. The Crimean Tatar Resource Center classifies Mustafayev's case as politically motivated persecution of Crimean Tatars. He became one of the defendants in the so-called 'third Dzhankoy group' in the Hizb ut-Tahrir case.

Sentence: On May 21, 2026, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Vokhid Mustafayev to 14 years in prison. The first 2 years are to be served in prison, with the remainder in a strict regime penal colony. Another defendant in the case, Ali Mamutov, received the same sentence.

Mustafayev was found guilty under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Russian Criminal Code for participation in the activities of an organization deemed terrorist by Russian authorities, as well as under Part 1 of Article 30 and Article 278 for allegedly preparing to seize power by force. Human rights defenders view such prosecutions of Crimean Tatars for alleged involvement with Hizb ut-Tahrir as politically motivated.

Vokhid Enverovich Mustafayev was born on January 25, 1976. According to human rights sources, he was born in the village of Tutpitomnik, Shakhrisabz district, Kashkadarya region of the Uzbek SSR. He holds citizenship of Ukraine and Russia. His professional and public activities are connected with the religious sphere.

Subsequently, Mustafayev lived in Crimea, in the Dzhankoy district. He was associated with the Muslim community of the village of Lobanovo and worked as the imam of the local mosque.

According to court materials, in 2021, Mustafayev replaced Remzi Kurtnazirov as imam, who left the position due to health issues. From 2017 to 2021, a temporary imam served at the mosque.

On March 5, 2024, his home was one of the locations searched during a large-scale operation by Russian security forces against Crimean Tatars. Along with Mustafayev, Ali Mamutov, Enver Khalilayev, Nariman Ametov, and activist Arsen Kashka were detained in the Dzhankoy district. Separately, former imam of the Lobanovo mosque, Remzi Kurtnazirov, was also prosecuted in this case.

The trial began in January 2025. The defendants denied involvement in terrorist activities. The defense highlighted violations of the defendants' rights and questioned the evidence. The charges were partly based on audio recordings of conversations at the Lobanovo mosque.

In July 2025, during court questioning, Mustafayev refused to testify without his lawyer present.

On May 21, 2026, the court unexpectedly proceeded to sentencing after closing arguments and the defendants' final statements. Vokhid Mustafayev was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

As of September 7, 2026, the exact location of Vokhid Mustafayev's imprisonment is not specified in available human rights sources. It is known that post-sentencing, he remains in custody pending the appeal process.

Information sourced from: Crimean Tatar Resource Center, ZMINA.

Update date: 07.09.2026.