Detention: On March 11, 2015, Russian security forces detained Talyat Yunusov in the village of Yastrubivka, Krasnohvardiiske district, Crimea. According to his father, Asan Yunusov, armed masked men entered their home around 7 a.m., conducted a search, and stated only that cameras allegedly recorded Talyat's participation in the events of February 26, 2014, and that he was suspected of causing bodily harm to a rally participant. He was taken to the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, after which the court ordered pre-trial detention.

Talyat Yunusov was charged under Part 2 of Article 212 of the Russian Criminal Code ('participation in mass riots'). Following the advice of his lawyer, Djemil Temishev, he entered a plea agreement, admitting guilt on the condition that his testimony would not be used as evidence in other defendants' cases. Another defendant, ATR TV channel operator Eskender Nebiev, made a similar agreement. Human rights activists noted that this decision was forced and aimed at avoiding a lengthy imprisonment.

Sentence: On December 28, 2015, the Russian-controlled Kyiv District Court of Simferopol found Talyat Yunusov guilty of participating in mass riots and sentenced him to 3 years and 6 months of suspended imprisonment with probation. The court approved the plea agreement, so the case was considered in a special procedure.

Talyat Yunusov is a Crimean Tatar activist and one of the defendants in the so-called 'February 26 case,' initiated by Russia after the occupation of Crimea against participants of a rally supporting Ukraine's territorial integrity, held on February 26, 2014, near the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in Simferopol. During this rally, supporters of Ukraine's unity, predominantly Crimean Tatars, opposed pro-Russian forces and prevented the Crimean parliament from adopting a decision supporting the peninsula's occupation.

Human rights defenders emphasize that the criminal prosecution of participants in these events was one of the first politically motivated processes after the occupation of Crimea. Human rights organizations view Talyat Yunusov's case as politically motivated persecution. They stress that Russia applied its criminal law to events that occurred before it established actual control over Crimea, contrary to international law principles. Furthermore, only participants of the pro-Ukrainian rally were held accountable, while pro-Russian participants of the same events were not prosecuted.

Information sourced from open sources: Crimean Tatar Resource Center, Ukrainska Pravda, Radio Liberty / Crimea.Realii, Ukrinform.

Update date: 09.07.2026.