Detention: Akim Kurtdede is subject to politically motivated persecution by the Russian Federation.

Sentence: Russia initiated a criminal case against him under Part 2 of Article 208 of the Russian Criminal Code ('participation in an illegal armed formation'), linking him to the Crimean Tatar volunteer battalion named after Noman Çelebicihan. Russian law enforcement declared him wanted.

Akim was born in 1990, a Crimean Tatar native of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. After the beginning of the Russian occupation of Crimea, he left the peninsula and moved to mainland Ukraine.

Akim Kurtdede became one of the individuals accused by Russia of participating in an 'illegal armed formation.' Such cases were widely initiated after 2016 against Crimean Tatars and other Ukrainian citizens involved in the civil blockade of Crimea, operating at the administrative border with the occupied peninsula.

In 2019, searches were conducted at Akim Kurtdede's home in Bilohirsk. The entire family was taken to the local FSB office for questioning. It was noted that three family members were present in the house: parents Seviye Kurtdede and Tayir Kurtdede, as well as Akim's younger sister Alime.
Human rights defenders emphasize that the criminal prosecution of Akim Kurtdede is political. Russia uses Article 208 of the Russian Criminal Code as a tool to pressure Crimean Tatars and Ukrainian activists who openly oppose the occupation of Crimea. Such cases are not recognized by Ukraine and the international community as legitimate, as they are related to the persecution of citizens for their political stance and participation in defending Ukraine.

Information used from open sources: Crimean Tatar Resource Center, Krym.Realii, Center for Journalistic Investigations.

Date of update: 29.07.2026.