Press Release
A Sentence in Tatarstan. New Arrests in Chelyabinsk

On 30 September 2014, Naberezhnye Chelny City Court convicted four members of Hizb ut Tahrir. The court found the Muslims guilty under Article 282 Russian Criminal Court (incitement of hatred or enmity, as well as the humiliation of human dignity) and Article 282.2 Russian Criminal Court (participation in the activity of extremist organization). Ryazapov Bulat born in 1973 sentenced to one year and four months of imprisonment in a penal colony. The rest of the believers - Baynazarov Oybek born in 1969, Basirov Radif born in 1971, Kuchkarov Ramil born in 1983 - received a year of imprisonment on probation.

On 2 October 2014 in Chelyabinsk, the FSS's administrative staff alone with the employees of the central apparatus of the FSS of Russia and the Regional General Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Interior in the Chelyabinsk region arrested the four members of Hizb ut Tahrir. Their houses were searched and they themselves were detained under an initiated criminal case part 2 Art. 205.5 of CC RF (participation in the activity of a terrorist organization). Now Khabirov Salavat born in 1982, Shamsutdinov Rinat born in 1989, Shaimov Al'fred born in 1988 and Mirov Orifdzhon born in 1983 will face from 5 up to 10 years of imprisonment. In addition, not so long ago on 12 September 2014 an elder brother of the arrested Khabirov Salavat - Khabirov Vadim who was once again imprisoned for his activity in Hizb ut Tahrir party was released.

Notably, both the sentenced Muslims in Naberezhnye Chelny, and arrested in Chelyabinsk were accused of the same criminal proceedings were initiated against the Muslims under Art. 282 Russian Criminal Court after the all-Russian campaign in protection of Quran, led on 27 September 2013. The investigation then found those slogans as "they took our sisters clothes' off, they banned a hijab", "in Russia they arrest and kill Muslims" a crime, although it is a reality of Russia. As a result, those who raised those issues to the public, thereby expressing the dominant mood among Muslims, were accused of a criminal offense.

The special services try to break the Muslims' position. But if in a Muslim region it is hard to blame terrorism against the people, widely known among the population of the republic as being peaceful in their activity, so the Chelyabinsk KGB employees have long since acted without regard to public opinion.

There is a continuing terror tactics towards the party members of Hizb ut Tahrir, elected by the leadership of Russia under the influence of the special services. But no matter how many arrests happen, no matter what variety of articles they invent and apply, to whatever terms peaceful preachers are sentenced - the security forces' struggle with the Muslims will remain illegal, since it is based on an unjustified ban of the activity of the party.

Once again, we declare that all criminal cases against members of the party are fabricated, and the deprivation of liberty of any innocent man is a great crime for which sooner or later anyone who somehow implicates to it will have to answer.

 Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Russia