Detention: On October 22, 2014, Russian security forces detained Tair Smedlyaev in Stary Krym. The vehicle he was in with his two sons was stopped, and he was taken to Simferopol. Tair was charged under Part 1 of Article 318 of the Russian Criminal Code (“use of violence not dangerous to life or health against a government representative”). According to the investigation, during the events of May 3, 2014, he used physical force against a member of the special unit 'Berkut'. On October 24, 2014, the Kyiv District Court of Simferopol ordered his detention for two months. The court session was held in closed session, excluding relatives and journalists. Lawyer Emil Kurbedinov and human rights defenders reported numerous procedural violations and the political nature of the persecution. In December 2014, the preventive measure was changed to personal surety.

Sentence: On December 10, 2015, the Russian-controlled city court of Armyansk found Tair Smedlyaev guilty under Part 1 of Article 318 of the Russian Criminal Code and sentenced him to 2 years of suspended imprisonment. The court concluded that during the events of May 3, 2014, he used violence against a 'Berkut' officer. Human rights defenders considered the case politically motivated and compared it to the 'Bolotnaya case' in Russia, noting it aimed to intimidate the Crimean Tatar population after the occupation of Crimea. On September 4, 2017, the Russian-controlled Kirovsky District Court granted the defense's request for early termination of the suspended sentence and expunged Tair Smedlyaev's conviction due to the completion of most of the probation period and absence of violations.

Tair Smedlyaev is a Crimean Tatar activist and participant in the events of May 3, 2014, at the administrative border between Crimea and mainland Ukraine, when several thousand Crimean Tatars gathered to meet their national leader Mustafa Dzhemilev, who was banned from entering Crimea by Russian authorities.

Tair Smedlyaev is the brother of Zair Smedlyaev, head of the Central Election Commission of the Kurultai of the Crimean Tatar people. At the time of his detention, Tair was with his two sons, one of whom was four years old. His family and brother actively supported him during the criminal proceedings and publicly stated the political nature of the case.

The case of Tair Smedlyaev is part of the so-called 'May 3 case'—the first large-scale criminal case against Crimean Tatars after the occupation of Crimea. It was initiated following a peaceful demonstration in support of Mustafa Dzhemilev and marked the beginning of systematic persecution of Crimean Tatar national movement activists.

Information used from open sources: CrimeaSOS, Crimean Tatar Resource Center, Ukrayinska Pravda, Krym.Realii.

Photo: Krym.Realii.

Last updated: 09.07.2026.