Memorial recognises 12 defendants in Ufa Hizb ut-Tahrir trial as political prisoners
As usual in such cases, evidence of terrorism by the defendants is their participation in meetings, discussion of ideological issues and agitation of other Muslims.
In Ufa at the present time the trial is taking place of Batyr Mukhametov, Bulat Rakhmanov, Ural Abdrakhimov, Radik Valiakhmetov, Timur Gadiev, Ural Galiev, Vadim Davletbaev, Ruslan Zainullin, Artem Naumov, Ruslan Rakhmatullin, Yaroslav Timofeev and Mikhail Toptygin. All the defendants have been charged with involvement in the international religious organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir, an organisation designated as terrorist by the Supreme Court of Russia in 2003.
Mukhametov and Rakhmanov have been charged under Article 205.5, Section 1, of the Russian Criminal Code (Organisation of the activity of a terrorist organisation - for which the penalty is from 15 years to life in a prison colony). The 10 others have been charged under Article 205.5, Section 2, of the Russian Criminal Code (Participation in the activity of a terrorist organisation - for which the penalty is from 10 to 20 years).
The case is being heard by judges from the Volga District Military Court at sessions in Ufa.
At first, Artur Zaripov was also charged in the case. In March 2017 Zaripov agreed to cooperate with the investigation and his case is being dealt with separately. His trial has begun, but at present the Volga District Military Court’s website states that Zaripov has gone into hiding. Most likely, he has been released from detention.
As in other criminal cases concerning involvement in Hizb ut-Tahrir of which we are aware, the defendants held meetings, discussed the organisation’s ideology, and sought to persuade other Muslims of their views. There is no evidence in the case that they committed or planned to commit crimes of violence, still less any actions that could, from the point of view of common sense, be considered terrorist.
Memorial does not agree with the decision of the Supreme Court to recognise Hizb ut-Tahrir as a terrorist organisation. We consider the charges against all the defendants in the Ufa case groundless and demand their release.
Recognition of an individual as a political prisoner, or of a prosecution as politically motivated, does not imply that Memorial Human Rights Centre shares or approves the individual’s views, statements or actions.
More information about the “Case of the 12” currently being heard in Ufa can be read on the website of the Memorial Human Rights Centre: https://memohrc.org/ru/special-projects/ufimskoe-delo-12-o-chlenstve-v-zapreshchyonnoy-hizb-ut-tahrir
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