Press Release
Every Fifth from the List of the Political Prisoners in Russia is a Member of Hizb ut Tahrir Party

On 30 October, Memorial Human Rights Centre published a list of Russian political prisoners. There are 46 people in the list; nine of them are the members of the Islamic political party Hizb ut Tahrir.

On the example of one surname, you can see the foundations on which human rights activists recognize the members of Hizb ut Tahrir political prisoners.

Galiullin Rinat Fayzullovich born on 25-06-1978, a member of a banned organization "Hizb ut Tahrir al Islami", even according to the investigation did not participate in violent acts, was condemned under Part 1 Article 205.1 "Declination and involvement of other people in the commission of an offense provided for Article 278 CC RF"), Part 1 Article 30, Article 278 ("Preparation for actions aimed at a forcible seizure of power as well a forcible change of the constitutional system"), Part 1 Article 282.2 CC RF ("Organization of the activity of an extremist body") to 6 years and 6 months of a strict regime with a year of limitation of freedom and a fine of 150 thousand rubles. He has been detained since July 2012.

Recognized a political prisoner, as the prosecution is carried on a charge of an offense, an event of that was missing, with the violation of the right to a fair trial and the use of disproportionate detention to the alleged act.

Memorial Human Rights Centre emphasizes that the list is certainly not exhaustive and complete, which means that human rights activists recognized political prisoners only those arrested on criminal cases of which they did know.

We, in turn, want to bring those facts that unite all criminal cases against the party members, because we believe that all of them are in the nature of a political repression and are without grounds for criminal prosecution.

1. The arrests of Hizb ut Tahrir members are not connected with any crimes. There are nor instruments of crime, no place of its commission, nor the victims.

2. The only legal basis for the prosecution of Hizb ut Tahrir members is the fact, that in 2003 the activity of the party was banned by the Supreme Court of the RF.

3. Special Services understand de facto that the activity of Hizb ut Tahrir is of a nonviolent character therefore maximum that fears the special services is the political activity of the party.

4. Inasmuch as Russia is a non-Muslim country, so the whole work of Hizb ut Tahrir on its territory is restricted with the education, and the political activity of the party is related solely to the protection of the interests of Muslims and Islamic values, but not to the race for power in the RF.

5. There are no legal grounds for prosecution of Hizb ut Tahrir members as under Art. 278 CC: ("Preparation for actions aimed at a forcible seizure of power") and under Art. 205.5 CC RF: ("Organization of the activity of a terrorist body") sanctions for which reach a life imprisonment.

If we talk about the decision of the Supreme Court in 2003, when the party was recognized a terrorist organization, so it can not be the basis for a criminal prosecution of the party members. The court session was held behind closed doors only with the participation of the representatives of the Russian FSS and the Prosecutor General's Office but not with the participation of the party members or their defenders and already for this reason alone the decision of the court could not and can not be considered legitimate. Moreover, this decision was made in secret from the public, and was published in the media only after all the procedural deadlines to allow its appeal. All appeals of the party members as well as of the lawyers of human rights organizations with the requirement to provide a copy of the court decision and restoration of the timing of its appeal were simply ignored. Thus, Russia only because of the flagrant violations of its own laws has become the only country in the world, where the international political party Hizb ut Tahrir was considered terrorist.

According to the Russian criminal cord: "terrorism" - is a commitment of an explosion, arson or other acts that endanger the lives of people, causing significant property damage, or other socially dangerous consequences, if committed for the purpose of violating public security, terrorizing the population or influencing the authorities' decisions, as well as a threat to commit these actions with the same goals.
In other words, a terrorism is a violence or at least a threat of violence for achieving political goals.

Therefore, it is obvious that there is no reason for the Islamic political party Hizb ut Tahrir was among terrorist in the list and thereafter there are no legal grounds for prosecution of the party members. And this means that more than fifty of Hizb ut Tahrir members that are today in prison accused of Art. 278, 205.5 or other articles of RF CC are also political prisoners that are under repressions only for their religious beliefs.

 Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
in Russia