THE NATIONAL UNION OF
JOURNALISTS OF UKRAINE
Citizen journalist Remzi Bekirov, who was condemned by the russian occupation regime in Crimea, is under pressure from the administration of the colony in the city of Abakan, Republic of Khakassia (russia).
As lawyer Emil Kurbedinov told the journalists of the Crimean Solidarity non-governmental organization, since the transfer of Remzi Bekirov to the colony, he was unjustifiably placed in a penal institution several times. The colony administration also illegally forbids him to write letters and call his relatives.
The lawyer noted that the situation is complicated by the fact that the political prisoner is so far from home – 4,500 kilometers away, and this violates his right to support family ties. The journalist’s family cannot come to see him because it is physically difficult and expensive.
In addition, the climate in Khakassia is very different from the warm climate in Crimea, which “becomes a serious challenge for the health” of Crimeans. “In fact, this is a form of exile that was widely practiced in the russian Empire and the USSR and is also practiced in today’s russia for the intelligentsia,” adds Emil Kurbedinov.
Recently, Remzi Bekirov was taken out of prison 2 of Yeniseisk, Krasnoyarsk Krai. Earlier, the Federal Penitentiary Service of russia refused to transfer Bekirov to a colony closer to home. He wanted to serve his term in the Rostov Oblast of russia. However, the Federal Penitentiary Service said that since February 24, 2022, correctional institutions in eight regions of russia, including the Don region, have implemented a “medium response level,” so it is impossible to transfer him there.
The NUJU reported on Remzi Bekirov‘s stay in prison in Krasnoyarsk Krai in an essay.
The facts show that the employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service are doing their best to make Remzi Bekirov‘s stay under their care more difficult and more brutal. So, they refused to transfer Remzi Bekirov to the neighboring Stavropol Krai and also stated that it is possible to contest the place of staging only after the prisoner is staged.
The Crimean Tatar activist also tried to get the phased term credited to his prison term. So he could be in a colony, not in prison, as early as March of this year. However, the 2nd Eastern District Military Court of the russian Chita region, to which Remzi Bekirov‘s lawsuit was addressed, never sent an answer and did not make a decision to recalculate the deadline. As a result, the Crimean Tatar spent more time in prison than he should have.
As earlier reported, in March 2019, russian security forces conducted searches in the homes of Crimean Tatar activists in Crimea, in particular, representatives of Crimean Solidarity. A total of 24 people were detained, among them civilian journalists Osman Arifmemetov, Rustem Sheykhaliyev, and Remzi Bekirov. On March 27 and 28, 2019, the russian court in Simferopol arrested all the detainees. On March 10, 2022, it became known that the judge of the russian Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Remzi Bekirov to 19 years in prison.
The NUJU demands that Remzi Bekirov be dropped from illegal charges and released from prison. The Memorial Human Rights Center recognized 24 Crimean Tatar activists detained by russian security forces on March 27, 2019, in Crimea as political prisoners.
NUJU Information Service
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