The Russian police detained five Crimean Tatars at the Kerch Bridge in occupied Crimea as human rights group Crimean Solidarity reported.
“The message was reported about the detention of the Crimean Tatars who returned from Moscow, where the appeal court session took place concerning the sentence of the first Simferopol group of Hizb ut-Tahrir case,” the message said.
The incident took place on December 25, 2019, at 10:05 p.m. at the entrance to Crimea at the Kerch Bridge. The police officers stopped the private bus with nine Crimean Tatars.
They checked the documents. Five passports of Crimean Tatars were not returned and they were asked to pass the questioning.
The questions concerned the involvement in the terrorist activity and what particular Ismaili sect they profess. Activists Sabri Selyametov, Osman Hoshchu, Zekiy Kulametov, Rustem Kurchi and correspondent of Grani.ru Seidamet Mustafayev refused to testify.
As we reported, the Supreme Court of Russia changed the sentence for the persons of interest in Hizb ut-Tahrir case during the consideration of the appeal on December 24. The terms of imprisonment were decreased for six months.
