Osman Arifmemetov: “My deportation…” – reports by Crimean journalist written in remand prison now published

There are few examples in the world of imprisoned journalists writing reports from behind bars. I recall Notes from the Gallows by Julius Fučík and the poems The Moabite Notebook by Musa Jalil. And now, a book by the Crimean Tatar citizen journalist, Osman Arifmemetov, sentenced by the russian authorities to 14 years in prison, has been published in Ukraine. The book is titled My Deportation. Reports By A Crimean Journalist Written In Remand Prison.

The head of the ZMINA Human Rights Center, Tetiana Pechonchyk, said:

“The book consists of reports written by a Crimean Tatar citizen journalist in various detention centers and prisons — from Simferopol [Crimea] to Minusinsk [russia]. In them, the author describes in detail the realities of life in prison cells, the abuse of prisoners, and falsifications in the russian judicial system. Despite the harsh conditions, Osman retains faith, common sense, and subtle irony, and his notes are full of hope and readiness for a new struggle for the fate of his people.”

The book was published in Ukrainian by the Vikhola publishing house with the support of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Ukraine. The texts were translated by Mariya Horbach, and the foreword was written by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Turkiye, Nariman Celal [Dzhelyal].

Osman Arifmemetov is still in russian custody. Earlier, Crimean Solidarity reported that Osman Arifmemetov was taken from a prison in Minusinsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai, russia, and transferred to the Chelyabinsk remand prison. In a letter to his relatives, he described the conditions of his transfer, comparing them to the deportation of Crimean Tatars in 1944.

As earlier reported, in March 2019, russian security forces conducted searches in the homes of Crimean Tatar activists in Crimea, including representatives of the Crimean Solidarity public association. A total of 24 people were detained, including civilian journalists Osman Arifmemetov, Rustem Sheikhaliev, and Remzi Bekirov. On March 27 and 28, 2019, a russian court in Simferopol arrested all those detained.

The Memorial Human Rights Center recognized 24 Crimean Tatar activists detained by russian security forces on March 27, 2019, in Crimea as political prisoners.

On November 24, 2022, the Southern District Military Court found Crimean Tatar activists, including Arifmemetov, guilty of terrorist activities and an attempt to seize power. Enver Ametov and Yashar Muyeddinov were sentenced to 13 years in a strict regime colony, and Ruslan Suleymanov, Rustem Sheikhaliev, and Arifmemetov himself were sentenced to 14 years. The political prisoners will spend 4 years of their term in prison. Then, they will be restricted in their freedom of movement for another 1 year. The defendants have not pleaded guilty and consider their persecution to be political.

NUJU Information Service