Russia Must Urgently Grant Medical Release To Gravely Ill Human Rights Defender: UN Expert

GENEVA (22 November 2024) – Russian authorities should immediately release Crimean human rights defender Tofik Abdulhaziiev on medical grounds, before his health deteriorates any further, a UN expert* said today.

The health of Abdulhaziiev, a Crimean Tatar human rights defender serving a 12-year sentence, has rapidly deteriorated since March 2024and remains very serious. Despite being diagnosed with several diseases that qualify for release under the Government-approved list of diseases preventing the serving of a sentence, the Metallurgicheskiy District Court of Chelyabinsk rejected a defence petition for his medical release on 6 August 2024, reportedly relying on a prison commission report while disregarding an independent medical opinion.

“The information received about Mr. Abdulhaziiev’s health status raises serious concerns about his rights to life and health and his potential ill-treatment,” said Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders.

After his transfer to a prison in Verkhneuralsk, Chelyabinsk region, in July 2023, Abdulhaziiev has lost a lot of weight and suffered from severe joint pain. In March 2024, his condition became critical, and he was taken to a specialised tuberculosis hospital, where he was reportedly placed in a punishment cell and only transferred to intensive care after losing consciousness two weeks later.

Reports indicate that although Abdulhaziiev remains hospitalised, his living conditions are poor. He is held in a basement cell without hot water and cannot eat much of the food provided, as it often contains pork. For at least three days after leaving intensive care, he reportedly received no food at all.

“Such conditions are not suitable for anyone, especially a gravely ill person. Mr. Abdulhaziiev is also being detained 2,700 kilometres away from his family in Simferopol, adding to his suffering,” Lawlor said.

Before his arrest, Abdulhaziiev was an activist with Crimean human rights groups. He organised events for political prisoners’ children, delivered food to detainees, and attended trials to show solidarity.

He was arrested on 27 March 2019, after security officers searched his home and his mother’s residence in Simferopol, reportedly violating due process. On 12 May 2022, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don convicted him on charges of participating in a terrorist organisation and preparing a violent seizure of power – charges widely viewed as fabricated. His case was part of a larger crackdown that saw more than 20 Crimean Tatars arrested around the same time, many of whom were also human rights activists.

“Mr. Abdulhaziiev’s case is one of many examples of the persecution of human rights defenders in Crimea,” said Lawlor. “I have repeatedly called on the Russian Government to end this practice and ensure a safe and enabling environment for human rights defenders. In this case, immediate action is critical. Tofik Abdulhaziiev must be released now, before it is too late.”

The Special Rapporteur is in contact with the Russian authorities on this issue.

*The expert: Ms. Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.

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