Detention: On June 10, 2019, Riza Omerov was detained by Russian security forces in the temporarily occupied Crimea. On the same day, his father, Enver Omerov, was also detained. Riza became a figure in the so-called Bilohirsk group in the Hizb ut-Tahrir case. Alongside him, Enver Omerov and Ayder Jepparov were also prosecuted in this case. Later, Azamat Eyupov was added to the criminal proceedings.

Sentence: On January 12, 2021, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Riza Omerov to 13 years of imprisonment. The first two years were to be served in prison, with the remainder in a high-security colony. He was found guilty under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Russian Criminal Code for 'participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist,' as well as under Part 1 of Article 30 and Article 278 for allegedly preparing for the violent seizure of power.

On March 10, 2022, the military appellate court upheld the sentence.

Riza Enverovich Omerov was born on March 3, 1988, in Krasnodar Krai, Russian Federation. In 1991, when he was three, he moved with his parents to Crimea, settling in Bilohirsk. Omerov holds citizenship of both Ukraine and Russia.

During his school years, Riza excelled academically and was active in sports, playing football, basketball, and practicing karate. As a student, he participated in sports competitions as part of the Simferopol team 'Prodmash.'

After finishing school, he enrolled in a Crimean university, earning a degree in financial management. Following his studies, he worked in trade, including as a sales representative for the company 'Rial Krym.'

Riza Omerov is married to Sevile Omerova. The couple has four sons. The youngest was born after his father's arrest; at the time of Riza's detention, his wife was seven months pregnant. Consequently, he was unable to see his child before his imprisonment.

Riza Omerov lived in Bilohirsk and was known within the local Crimean Tatar community. After Crimea's occupation by Russian authorities, he, like many other Crimean Tatars, faced increased scrutiny and persecution. Russian security forces linked him to the religious-political organization Hizb ut-Tahrir, banned in Russia.

On June 10, 2019, Riza Omerov was detained by FSB officers. His father, Enver Omerov, was detained simultaneously. According to Russian investigators, Enver Omerov allegedly established a Hizb ut-Tahrir cell in Bilohirsk and involved his son in its activities. The accused denied any involvement in terrorist or violent activities.

The trial lasted over a year and a half. On January 12, 2021, Riza Omerov was sentenced to 13 years in prison. His father, Enver Omerov, received 18 years, and Ayder Jepparov, 17 years. On March 10, 2022, the appellate court upheld the decision.

During his imprisonment, Riza Omerov was held in the Minusinsk prison in Krasnoyarsk Krai. Due to peculiarities in calculating the sentence term, his stay there exceeded the two years stipulated by the verdict. In October 2023, a court deemed the actions of the Federal Penitentiary Service in calculating Omerov's prison term illegal.

In detention, he developed health issues. In 2023, it was reported that his vision deteriorated; he began seeing lines and other disturbances with his left eye, but there was no ophthalmologist in the Minusinsk prison. After being transferred to a colony, he underwent an examination, but the prescribed treatment did not yield the expected results. Reports also mentioned significant weight loss, poor nutrition, and skin spots.

In July 2024, Omerov was transferred from Minusinsk via Kazan to FKU IK-9 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the Chuvash Republic, in the city of Tsivilsk. Upon arrival, he was able to briefly contact his family. His wife reported that after a long time in detention, he said he finally saw the sky and the sun.

As of September 7, 2026, Riza Omerov continues to serve his 13-year sentence at FKU IK-9 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the Chuvash Republic, in the city of Tsivilsk.

Information used from open sources: ZMINA, Crimean Tatar Resource Center, CrimeaSOS, Association of Relatives of Kremlin Political Prisoners, Suspilne Crimea.

Photo: CrimeaSOS.

Update date: 07.09.2026.