Detention: On August 24, 2023, FSB officers conducted mass searches in the homes of Crimean Tatars and detained six activists from the 'Crimean Solidarity', including Abdulmedzhit Seitumerov. In the morning of August 24, 2023, Russian security forces conducted mass searches in Bakhchisarai and the Bakhchisarai district. After the search, Abdulmedzhit Seitumerov was detained and taken to Simferopol. The next day, the Russia-controlled Kyiv District Court of Simferopol imposed a pre-trial detention measure on him. Along with him, five other Crimean Tatar activists were detained. The Russian Federation accuses Abdulmedzhit Seitumerov under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Russian Criminal Code ('participation in the activities of a terrorist organization').

Sentence: On October 21, 2026, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don issued guilty verdicts to six Crimean Tatars, defendants of the fifth Bakhchisarai group in the so-called 'Hizb ut-Tahrir case'. The men were sentenced to imprisonment terms ranging from 15 to 19 years in strict regime colonies. Abdulmedzhit Seitumerov was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Human rights defenders consider the persecution politically motivated and link it to a systematic campaign of repression against Crimean Tatars.

Seitumerov Abdulmedzhit was born on August 27, 1999, in Bakhchisarai. He is a historian by education. Before his arrest, he lived in his hometown and was married. He is the younger brother of Crimean political prisoners Seitumer and Osman Seitumerov, who were sentenced by Russia in 2022 in the 'Hizb ut-Tahrir case'.

Despite years of persecution of his family, Abdulmedzhit continued to support his brothers, attended court hearings, and assisted the families of other political prisoners.

The Russian investigation claims that Abdulmedzhit allegedly participated in the activities of the Islamic political party 'Hizb ut-Tahrir', which the Russian Supreme Court declared a 'terrorist organization' in 2003. Meanwhile, in Ukraine and most countries worldwide, this organization is not banned. Human rights organizations emphasize that in the Crimean 'Hizb ut-Tahrir' cases, there is no evidence of preparation or commission of violent acts, and the charges are mainly based on secret witnesses, expert conclusions, and materials from operational-search activities.

After his arrest, Abdulmedzhit was placed in Simferopol Pre-Trial Detention Centre No. 2. In September 2023, his family requested a visit from the FSB investigator, but received an official refusal. His parents and wife were unable to meet with him, which is another example of restricting political prisoners' rights to communicate with their relatives.

In October 2023, Abdulmedzhit Seitumerov was forcibly transferred to a psychiatric hospital for nearly a month for a stationary psychiatric examination. After the examination, he was returned to the detention center. The lawyer reported that the political prisoner did not complain about the medical staff but noted the inadequate living conditions in the ward, which lacked water supply and sanitary facilities.

In 2025–2026, the so-called fifth Bakhchisarai case was heard in the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don. During the trial, the prosecution completed presenting evidence, and the court questioned defense witnesses who positively characterized Abdulmedzhit and other defendants. Human rights defenders emphasize that the trial is taking place with numerous violations of the right to a fair trial.

In 2026, his wife Amina reported a significant deterioration in Abdulmedzhit's health. After surgery, he requires regular medical supervision, suffers from knee pain, dental problems, rashes, and fainting episodes. Despite this, he does not receive adequate medical care in Russian imprisonment conditions. He also sent a letter of support from the colony to the seriously ill Crimean political prisoner Tofik Abdulgaziyev, expressing solidarity with fellow prisoners.

On October 21, 2026, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don issued a guilty verdict. Abdulmedzhit Seitumerov was sentenced to 15 years in prison. His case remains an example of politically motivated persecution of Crimean Tatars on the temporarily occupied peninsula.

Information used from open sources: Suspilne Crimea, Crimean Tatar Resource Center, ZMINA.

Photo: ZMINA.

Date updated: 03.11.2026.