Imprisoned Crimean Tatar human rights defender Emir-Usein Kuku urgently hospitalised and underwent surgery
On 21 June 2023, the Crimean Tatar human rights defender Emir-Usein Kuku was urgently hospitalised from a detention facility in Salavat, Russia, with acute pain. His wife Mariem attempted to contact the administration of the facility but received no response. Only the Russian Public Oversight Commission in Bashkortostan confirmed that the human rights defender had been hospitalised and underwent surgery.
On 25 June 2020, the Military Court of Appeals in Vlasikha upheld the 12 year sentence of Crimean Tatar human rights defender Emir-Usein Kuku, which he will serve in a strict regimen correctional colony.
On 12 November 2019, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Crimean Tatar human rights defender Emir-Usein Kuku to twelve years in a strict-regime correctional colony. Emir-Usein Kuku was arrested in February 2016 for alleged membership of a terrorist organisation. Later he was also accused of “planning to violently seize state power”.
On 12 April 2019, the North Caucasian District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don, Russia upheld its previous decision to prolong the pre-trail detention of Emir Usein Kuku until 18 May 2019. The initial decision was made on 27 February 2019, despite the deteriorating health of the human rights defender and the fact the he has two small children.
On 10 July 2018, a message from the Head of the Regional Public Commission Overseeing Places of Detention revealed that Emir Usein Kuku remains in detention at pre-trial detention facility No. 4 in Rostov-on-Don, his lawyer has confirmed.
On 10 July 2018, the lawyer of Crimean human rights defender Emir Usein Kuku, Sergey Loktev, travelled to meet with his client in pre-trial detention facility No. 4 in Rostov-on-Don. Upon his arrival, he was told that the human rights defender was no longer among the detainees. No other information on the whereabouts of Emir Usein Kuku was provided to his lawyer.
On 14 February 2018, the North Caucasian District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, began considering the merits of the criminal case against six defendants accused of membership of the Crimean branch of “Hizb ut-Tahrir”, which is designated as a terrorist organisation in Russia. A well-known Crimean Tatar human rights defender from Yalta, Emir-Usein Kuku, is among the defendants.
Emir Usein Kuku is the Chair of the Crimean Contact Group on Human Rights in Yalta and a member of the Crimean Human Rights Movement. The Crimean Contact Group on Human Rights monitors violations of human rights, provides legal assistance to the population, and reports cases of politically-motivated enforced disappearance in Crimea. Prior to his detention in February 2016, Kuku was actively involved in the monitoring and documentation of human rights violations in the Yalta region. He has provided legal assistance and support to members of Muslim ethnic groups such as Crimean Tatars, who are continuously faced with discrimination and political persecution. Emir Usein Kuku was defending their right to religion, assisting in the search for displaced people, and supporting the families of political prisoners.
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- 26 June 2023 : Crimea (Ukraine): Imprisoned Crimean Tatar human rights defender Emir-Usein Kuku urgently hospitalised and underwent surgery
- 26 June 2020 : Military Court of Appeals upholds Emir-Usein Kuku’s 12 year sentence
- 13 November 2019 : Emir-Usein Kuku sentenced to twelve years in strict-regime correctional colony
- 18 April 2019 : Prolonged pre-trial detention of Crimean human rights defender Emir Kuku
- 11 July 2018 : Emir Usein Kuku’s detention location confirmed
- 10 July 2018 : Whereabouts of Crimean human rights defenders Emir Usein Kuku unknown
- 14 February 2018 : Beginning of Emir Usein Kuku’s trial
- 4 December 2017 : Trial date of Emir Usein Kuku set
- 6 October 2017 : Pre-trial detention of Emir Usein Kuku extended
- 21 February 2017 : Decision to extend pre-trial detention of Emir Usein Kuku upheld
- 6 February 2017 : Pre-trial detention of Emir Usein Kuku extended
- 13 January 2017 : Ruling to extend pre-trial detention of Emir Usein Kuku upheld
- 12 December 2016 : Emir Usein Kuku forced to undergo psychiatric examination
- 4 October 2016 : Harassment of Emir Usein Kuku’s family
On 21 June 2023, the Crimean Tatar human rights defender Emir-Usein Kuku was urgently hospitalised from a detention facility in Salavat, Russia, with acute pain. His wife Mariem attempted to contact the administration of the facility but received no response. Only the Russian Public Oversight Commission in Bashkortostan confirmed that the human rights defender had been hospitalised and underwent surgery.
Emir-Usein Kuku is the head of the Crimean Contact Group on Human Rights in Yalta and a member of the Crimean Human Rights Movement. He assisted in the search for missing and displaced people, providing legal consultation and support to their families and to the families of Crimean political prisoners. Prior to the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in 2014, Emir-Usein Kuku worked to defend the rights of Muslim religious groups to freely practice their religion, monitored cases of discrimination against Muslim religious groups and fought for the preservation of a Crimean Tatar cemetery.
On 26 June 2023, the human rights defender Emir-Usein Kuku’s wife Mariem Kuku reported that he underwent intestinal surgery and is located in the Salavat City Hospital No.2. She obtained this information from the Russian Public Oversight Commission in Bashkortostan, as she is still unable to contact her husband directly. Previously, on 22 June 2023, she reported about her husband’s hospitalisation, but did not know to which medical facility he had been transported. It was confirmed to her by members of the Public Oversight Commission that the human rights defender had suffered from severe pain due to kidney stones and had been put under medical observation.
Since his arrest, Emir-Usein Kuku has been subjected to ongoing mistreatment. For minor “violations”, including sleeping at the wrong time, he has been placed in the punishment cell. In September 2021, the human rights defender was placed under preventive supervision. This decision was made as a result of the killing of a correctional officer at another detention facility in Russia. In the aftermath of this killing, all prisoners sentenced for terrorism-related charges were put under preventive supervision under the allegation that they were “prone to attacking correctional officers.” Poor detention conditions and this ongoing mistreatment have had a considerable negative impact on the human rights defender’s health and well-being. His eyesight has weakened, his kidneys are damaged and he is suffering from a persistent toothache and joint pain.
On 12 November 2019, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Emir-Usein Kuku to twelve years in a strict-regime correctional colony. On 25 June 2020, the Military Court of Appeals in Vlasikha upheld this sentence.
On 11 February 2016, the human rights defender was detained together with five other Crimean Tatars and was charged with “involvement in a terrorist organisation.” He was accused of joining the Yalta branch of Hizb ut-Tahrir, an Islamic movement that has been designated as a terrorist group in Russia since 2003, but operates legally in Ukraine and many other European states. Additional charges of “planning forcible seizure of state power” were later added.
On 20 April 2015, the human rights defender was violently detained by the Russian Federal Security Service. His house was searched, his phone and several books were confiscated, and he was interrogated about posts he made on social media related to his human rights work. On the way to this interrogation, he was beaten and sustained an injury to his kidney which required subsequent medical treatment.
Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned about the state of human rights defender Emil-Usein Kuku’s health and the lack of information being provided to his family by the Russian authorities, under whose control he is held. It also condemns the ongoing mistreatment of the human rights defender, which is having a considerable negative impact on his health and well-being. Front Line Defenders urges the authorities of the Russian Federation to release Emir-Usein Kuku and, while he is in detention, provide appropriate medical treatment to guarantee his physical and psychological integrity. The organisation also calls upon the Russian authorities to provide up to date information about the human rights defender’s health condition and whereabouts to his family in a timely manner. Front Line Defenders believe that Emir-Usein Kuku is being targeted and mistreated solely as a result of his legitimate and peaceful activities in the defence of human rights.
On 25 June 2020, the Military Court of Appeals in Vlasikha upheld the 12 year sentence of Crimean Tatar human rights defender Emir-Usein Kuku, which he will serve in a strict regimen correctional colony.
In November 2019, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don found the human rights defender guilty of membership of a terrorist organisation and of planning to violently seize state power. Today, on 26 June 2020, Emir-Usein Kuku spends his 44th birthday in prison, where he has spent the last four years and four months.
Persecution of Emir-Usein first began in April 2015 when he was violently detained by the Federal Security Services (FSS) of the Russian Federation. After being released he was then detained in February 2016 and together with five other Crimean Tatars charged with membership of a terrorist organisation, the Yalta branch of Hizb ut-Tahrir, an Islamist movement that is considered “terrorist” in Russia but not in Ukraine and most European countries. In 2017, an accusation of planning to violently seize state power was added to Emir-Usein Kuku’s charges.
During the appeal hearing, which was held in two sessions – the first on 22 June and then on 25 June 2020 – the court refused the request of Emir-Usein Kuku’s defence to question witnesses who could confirm that the human rights defender had an altercation with FSS officer Alexandr Kompaneytsev. In 2015, the officer had tried to recruit him to work for FSS, but the human rights defender refused to engage. The human rights defender and his defence believe that this served as one of the reasons for charges of membership of a terrorist organization to be levelled against him. The court also refused the request to question a secret witness for the prosecution, as well as hearing an expert’s opinion, who had found that the audio recording of the wiretapped meetings of the defendant was edited.
Front Line Defenders believes that the conviction of Emir-Usein Kuku is a clear misuse of anti-terrorist legislation in an attempt to deter human rights defenders from working in Crimea. Front Line Defenders reiterates its call on the Russian authorities to quash his conviction and immediately release the human rights defender.
On 12 November 2019, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Crimean Tatar human rights defender Emir-Usein Kuku to twelve years in a strict-regime correctional colony. Emir-Usein Kuku was arrested in February 2016 for alleged membership of a terrorist organisation. Later he was also accused of “planning to violently seize state power”.
Emir-Usein Kuku is a Crimean Tatar human rights defender and a member of the Crimean Human Rights Contact Group which monitors human rights violations and provides legal assistance to families of victims of political persecution in Crimea. Before his arrest, the human rights defender was actively engaged in monitoring cases of discrimination against the Muslim population in the Yalta region of Crimea and reporting on cases of politically-motivated enforced disappearance on the peninsula. Emir-Usein Kuku defends the right to religion, assists in the search for displaced people, and supports the families of political prisoners.
Emir-Usein Kuku was detained in February 2016 and together with five other Crimean Tatars was charged with “membership of a terrorist organisation”. He was accused of joining the Yalta branch of Hizb ut-Tahrir, an Islamist movement that is considered “terrorist” in Russia but not in Ukraine. In 2017 a new accusation of “planning to violently seize state power” was added to the charges he faces.
In December 2016, Emir-Usein was forced to undergo psychiatric examination and spent almost a month in a solitary cell in Simferopol Psychiatric Hospital No.1. In December 2017, after the completion of the investigative period, all defendants under this case were transferred from Crimea to Rostov-on-Don. Since his detention Emir-Usein has spent one year and nine months detained in Rostov-on-Don which is located 700km from his home town Yalta.
In June-July 2018, Emir-Usein Kuku spent twenty-four days on hunger strike in solidarity with Oleg Sentsov. They were demanding the release of seventy Ukrainian political prisoners held in Russian jails. Poor detention conditions and the hunger strike have negatively affected Emir-Usein’s health. Since then, his eyesight has weakened, his kidneys are damaged and he is suffering from a toothache and joint pain.
Persecution of Emir-Usein started in April 2015 when he was violently detained by the Federal Security Services of the Russian Federation. His house was searched, his phone and several books were confiscated, and he was interrogated about posts he made on social media. On the way to his interrogation, Emir-Usein was beaten and sustained an injury to his kidney.
The lawyers working on this case emphasise that there is no proof of any terrorist or violent activities performed by Emir-Usein Kuku. The charges are built purely on the basis that the defendants were attending religious gatherings and were reading religious literature. Amnesty International and Russian human rights organisation Memorial recognise Emir-Usein Kuku as a prisoner of conscience.
In its resolution "Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine" adopted on 15 November 2018, the UN General Assembly expressed deep concern that “since 2014, torture has reportedly been used by the Russian authorities to extract false confessions for politically motivated prosecutions, including in the case of Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian film-maker and expressing deep concern about the ongoing arbitrary detentions and
arrests by the Russian Federation of Ukrainian citizens, including Volodymyr Balukh and Emir- Usein Kuku, and in particular those on hunger strike”.
Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned by the Southern District Military Court’s decision to sentence human rights defender Emir-Usein Kuku to twelve years in a strict-regime correctional colony. Front Line Defenders considers this decision a clear misuse of anti-terrorist legislation aimed at the prosecution and deterrence of human rights defenders’ work in Crimea.
On 12 April 2019, the North Caucasian District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don, Russia upheld its previous decision to prolong the pre-trail detention of Emir Usein Kuku until 18 May 2019. The initial decision was made on 27 February 2019, despite the deteriorating health of the human rights defender and the fact the he has two small children.
On 14 February 2018, the court began considering the merits of the criminal case against Emir Usein Kuku and five other defendants. On 21 August 2018, more than six months into the hearings, the court board returned the case to the prosecutor, asking him to revise the charges against one of the defendants to include more serious offences. The trials resumed on 4 April 2018.
On 11 February 2016, Emir Usein Kuku was arrested on charges of terrorism and alleged involvement in the Muslim political organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir.
Emir Usein Kuku is a human rights defender who provides legal assistance and support to members of Muslim ethnic groups such as Crimean Tatars, who suffer discrimination and political persecution.
Front Line Defenders is gravely concerned by the ongoing trial against Emir Usein Kuku as it believes that the charges brought against him are based on fabricated evidence and constitute retaliation for his peaceful and legitimate work reporting human rights abuses in Crimea.
On 10 July 2018, a message from the Head of the Regional Public Commission Overseeing Places of Detention revealed that Emir Usein Kuku remains in detention at pre-trial detention facility No. 4 in Rostov-on-Don, his lawyer has confirmed.
His lawyer had attempted to visit him on 10 July, however he was told that Emir Usein Kuku was no longer among the detainees and was given no information as to his whereabouts. It is understood that he had in fact been transferred for a medical check up due to a hunger strike in protest of the charges against him. Prison authorities had been aware of his lawyer’s scheduled visit, but organised the medical check anyway.
On 10 July 2018, the lawyer of Crimean human rights defender Emir Usein Kuku, Sergey Loktev, travelled to meet with his client in pre-trial detention facility No. 4 in Rostov-on-Don. Upon his arrival, he was told that the human rights defender was no longer among the detainees. No other information on the whereabouts of Emir Usein Kuku was provided to his lawyer.
Front Line Defenders is extremely concerned about the physical and psychological condition of Emir Usein Kuku, who is on the 15th day of a hunger strike protesting the charges against him. Emir Usein Kuku has been in pre-trial detention since February 2016, first in Simferopol, Crimea, and since December 2017 in Rostov-on-Don in the Russian Federation. He is accused of “involvement in a terrorist organisation”, “preparation of a crime”, “commission of a crime by a group of persons by previous concert” and “forcible seizure of power or forcible retention of power” under part 2 of Article 205.5, part 1 of Article 30, part 2 of Article 35 and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation respectively. Emir Usein Kuku denies all of the charges, stating that he is being persecuted solely for his human rights activity and in reprisal for his refusal to collaborate with representatives of the Federal Security Service (FSB).
Emir Usein Kuku is the Chairman of the Crimean Contact Group on Human Rights in Yalta, an organisation which monitors violations of human rights, provides legal assistance, and reports cases of politically-motivated disappearances in Crimea. He is also a member of the Crimean Human Rights Movement. The human rights defender has provided legal assistance and support to members of Muslim ethnic groups such as Crimean Tatars, who suffer discrimination and political persecution. Emir Usein Kuku worked to defend their right to practice their religion freely, assisted in the search for displaced people, and supported the families of political prisoners. Since the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, human rights defenders and Crimean Tatars who work to protect their human rights have become targets of repression and intimidation by local authorities.
On 14 February 2018, the North Caucasian District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, began considering the merits of the criminal case against six defendants accused of membership of the Crimean branch of “Hizb ut-Tahrir”, which is designated as a terrorist organisation in Russia. A well-known Crimean Tatar human rights defender from Yalta, Emir-Usein Kuku, is among the defendants. He is accused of “involvement in a terrorist organisation”; “preparation of a crime”; “commission of a crime by a group of persons by previous concert” and “forcible seizure of power or forcible retention of power” under part 2 of Article 205.5; part 1 of Article 30; part 2 of Article 35 and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Emir Usein Kuku denies all the charges, stating that he is solely persecuted for his human rights activity and in reprisal for his refusal to collaborate with representatives of the Federal Security Service (FSB).
Emir Usein Kuku is the Chair of the Crimean Contact Group on Human Rights in Yalta and a member of the Crimean Human Rights Movement. The Crimean Contact Group on Human Rights monitors violations of human rights, provides legal assistance to the population, and reports cases of politically-motivated enforced disappearance in Crimea. He has also provided legal assistance and support to members of Muslim ethnic groups such as Crimean Tatars, who are continuously faced with discrimination and political persecution.
4 December 2017, the North Caucasian Regional Court of the Russian Federation, in its mobile court hearing at the Crimean Military Court, extended the pre-trial detention of Emir Usein Kuku until 27 May 2018. The date of his preliminary hearing is set for 11 December 2017 at the North Caucasian Regional Court in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. The human rights defender is to be transferred from Simferopol pre-trial detention centre where he has been detained for almost 2 years to Rostov-on-Don in the Russian Federation.
Emir Usein Kuku is one of four defendants in the so-called “Hizb ut-Tahrir” case and has been in pre-trial custody in Simferopol since 11 February 2016. He is accused of terrorism and alleged involvement in the Muslim political organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir, a designated terrorist group in Russia.
The human rights defender is the Chair of the Crimean Contact Group on Human Rights in Yalta and a member of the Crimean Human Rights Movement. The Crimean Contact Group on Human Rights monitors violations of human rights, provides legal assistance to the population, and reports cases of politically-motivated enforced disappearance in Crimea. He has also provided legal assistance and support to members of Muslim ethnic groups such as Crimean Tatars, who are continuously faced with discrimination and political persecution.
Front Line Defenders believes that the transfer of Emir Usein Kuku from occupied Crimea to the Russian territory is in breach of his rights, as it would make contact with his family and trial observation more difficult. Front Line Defenders believes the charges against him are fabricated and brought solely in retaliation for his peaceful and legitimate work reporting human rights abuses in Crimea. Front Line Defenders also calls on the Russian and Crimean authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Emir Usein Kuku and drop all charges against him.
On 4 October 2017, the Supreme Court of Crimea extended the pre-trial detention of human rights defender Emir Usein Kuku, until 8 April 2018. The Court ruling was issued in response to a plea for extension of the pre-trial detention filed by the the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, Crimean Directorate. Emir Usein Kuku is a defendant in the so-called Hizb ut-Tahrir case and has been in pre-trial custody since 11 February 2016. He is accused of terrorism and alleged involvement in the Muslim political organisation, Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is designated as a terrorist group in Russia.
Front Line Defenders strongly condemns the decision of the Supreme Court of Crimea to extend the pre-trial detention of Emir Usein Kuku and the fabricated charges brought against him, as it is believed they are solely related to his peaceful and legitimate work reporting human rights abuses in Crimea. Front Line Defenders also calls on the Crimean authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Emir Usein Kuku.
On 20 February 2017, the Supreme Court of Crimea upheld its prior decision to extend the pre-trial detention of human rights defender, Emir Usein Kuku, until 8 April 2017.
Emir Usein Kuku is the Chairman of the Crimean Contact Group on Human Rights in Yalta. This organisation monitors violations of human rights, provides legal assistance, and reports cases of politically-motivated disappearances in Crimea. Emir Usein Kuku is also a member of the Crimean Human Rights Group. Prior to his detention in February 2016, Emir Usein Kuku was involved in the monitoring and documentation of human rights violations in the Yalta region. He has provided legal assistance and support to members of Muslim ethnic groups such as Crimean Tatars, who suffer discrimination and political persecution. Emir Usein Kuku worked to defend their right to practise their religion freely, assisted in the search for displaced people, and supported the families of political prisoners. Since the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, human rights defenders and Crimean Tatars who work to protect their human rights have become targets of repression and intimidation by the local authorities.
On 20 February 2017, the Supreme Court of Crimea upheld its prior decision, which had been reached on 3 February 2017, to extend the pre-trial detention of Emir Usein Kuku, until 8 April 2017. The human rights defender, who was not present in the courtroom, participated in the hearing via video link. Journalists were forbidden from video recording the hearing.
On 3 February 2017, the Supreme Court justified its decision by asserting that the release or house arrest of Emir Usein Kuku would give the human rights defender the capacity to obstruct the investigation or abscond while it was being conducted. During the hearing on 20 February 2017, the Court did not reiterate these justifications or provide specific reasons for its decision to extend the human rights defender’s pre-trial detention.
Emir Usein Kuku is a defendant in the so-called Hizb ut-Tahrir case and has been in pre-trial custody since 11 February 2016. He is accused of terrorism and alleged involvement in the Muslim political organisation, Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is designated as a terrorist group in Russia. On 5 September 2016, the Kievsky District Court of Simferopol dismissed an appeal brought by Emir Usein Kuku regarding his pre-trial detention, retained the charges against him, and extended his pre-trial detention until 8 December 2016 - the day the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation ordered a forced psychiatric examination on him. On 11 January 2017, the Supreme Court of Crimea affirmed the Kievsky District Court of Simferopol’s decision and extended his detention until 8 February 2017. While in custody, the human rights defender and his family have been subjected to harassment and intimidation on several occasions.
Front Line Defenders strongly condemns the decision of the Supreme Court of Crimea to uphold the decision to extend the pre-trial detention and the fabricated charges brought against Emir Usein Kuku, as it is believed they are solely related to his peaceful and legitimate work reporting human rights abuses in Crimea. Front Line Defenders calls on the Crimean authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Emir Usein Kuku.
On 3 February 2017, the Supreme Court of Crimea extended the pre-trial detention of the human rights defender, Emir Usein Kuku, until 8 April 2017. The Court ruling was issued in response to a plea for extension of the pre-trial detention filed by the the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, Crimean Directorate.
Emir Usein Kuku is the Chairman of the Crimean Contact Group on Human Rights in Yalta. This organisation monitors violations of human rights, provides legal assistance, and reports cases of politically-motivated disappearances in Crimea. Emir Usein Kuku is also a member of the Crimean Human Rights Group. Prior to his detention in February 2016, Emir Usein Kuku was actively involved in the monitoring and documentation of human rights violations in the Yalta region. He has provided legal assistance and support to members of Muslim ethnic groups such as Crimean Tatars, who continuously suffer discrimination and political persecution. Emir Usein Kuku worked to defend their right to practise their religion freely, assisted in the search for displaced people, and supported the families of political prisoners. Since the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, human rights defenders and Crimean Tatars who work to protect their human rights have become targets of repression and intimidation by the local authorities.
On 3 February 2017, the Supreme Court of Crimea ruled to extend the pre-trial detention of Emir Usein Kuku until 8 April 2018. The Court justified the decision by asserting that the release or house arrest of Emir Usein Kuku would give the human rights defender the capacity to obstruct or abscond during the investigation. According to the Court, he would also have the opportunity to threaten witnesses in the case and continue committing criminal offences if released or placed under house arrest. The human rights defender’s legal representatives will appeal the Court ruling over the coming days.
Emir Usein Kuku is a defendant in the so-called Hizb ut-Tahrir case and has been in pre-trial custody since 11 February 2016. He is accused of terrorism and alleged involvement in the Muslim political organisation, Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is designated as a terrorist group in Russia. On 5 September 2016, the Kievsky District Court of Simferopol dismissed an appeal brought by Emir Usein Kuku regarding his pre-trial detention, retained the charges against him, and extended his pre-trial detention until 8 December 2016 - the day the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation ordered a forced psychiatric examination on him. On 11 January 2017, the Supreme Court of Crimea affirmed the Kievsky District Court of Simferopol’s decision and extended his detention until 8 February 2017. While in custody, the human rights defender and his family have been subjected to harassment and intimidation on several occasions.
Front Line Defenders strongly condemns the decision of the Supreme Court of Crimea to extend the pre-trial detention and fabricated charges brought against Emir Usein Kuku, as it is believed they are solely related to his peaceful and legitimate work reporting human rights abuses in Crimea. Front Line Defenders also calls on the Crimean authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Emir Usein Kuku.
On 11 January 2017, the Supreme Court of Crimea upheld a decree to extend the pre-trial detention of human rights defender, Mr. Emir Usein Kuku.
Emir Usein Kuku is the Chair of the Crimean Contact Group on Human Rights in Yalta and a member of the Crimean Human Rights Movement.
The Crimean Contact Group on Human Rights monitors violations of human rights, provides legal assistance, and reports cases of politically-motivated disappearances in Crimea. Prior to his detention in February 2016, Emir Usein Kuku was actively involved in the monitoring and documentation of human rights violations in the Yalta region. He has provided legal assistance and support to members of Muslim ethnic groups such as Crimean Tatars, who continuously suffer discrimination and political persecution. Emir Usein Kuku worked to defend their right to practise their religion freely, assisted in the search for displaced people, and supported the families of political prisoners. Since the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, human rights defenders and Crimean Tatars who work to protect their human rights have become targets of repression and intimidation by the local authorities.
On 11 January 2017, the Supreme Court of Crimea affirmed the Kievsky District Court of Simferopol’s decision to extend Emir Usein Kuku’s pre-trial detention until 8 February 2017. The court hearing took place via video conference, but the human rights defender was not present in the courtroom during the legal proceedings. On 9 January 2017, Emir Usein Kuku was transferred back to a pre-trial detention centre in Simferopol after a forced psychiatric examination, which was ordered by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation on 8 December 2016.
Emir Usein Kuku is a defendant in the so-called Hizb ut-Tahrir case and has been in pre-trial custody since 11 February 2016. He is accused of terrorism and alleged involvement in the Muslim political organisation, Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is designated as a terrorist group in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Germany, but operates legally in Ukraine and other states. On 5 September 2016, the Kievsky District Court of Simferopol dismissed an appeal brought by Emir Usein Kuku regarding his pre-trial detention, retained the charges against him, and extended his pre-trial detention until 8 December 2016. While in custody, the human rights defender and his family have been subjected to harassment and intimidation on several occasions.
Front Line Defenders strongly condemns the decision of the Supreme Court of Crimea to uphold the extended pre-trial detention and fabricated charges brought against Emir Usein Kuku, as well as the forced psychiatric examination of the human rights defender, as it is believed they are solely related to his peaceful and legitimate work reporting human rights abuses in Crimea. Front Line Defenders urges authorities in Crimea to ensure that the treatment of Emir Usein Kuku, while in detention, adheres to the conditions set out in the ‘Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment’, adopted by UN General Assembly resolution 43/173 of 9 December 1988. Front Line Defenders also calls on the Crimean authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Emir Usein Kuku and quash his conviction.
On 8 December 2016, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation forced human rights defender Emir Usein Kuku to undergo psychiatric examination. Later on the same day, without the human rights defender present, the Kievsky District Court of Simferopol, rendered a decision to extend his pre-trial detention until 8 February 2017. The human rights defender has been in pre-trial detention since 11 February 2016.
On 8 December, Emir Usein Kuku was transferred from Simferopol pre-trial custody to a psychiatric facility in the same city. The same day, in Emir Usein Kuku’s absence the Kievsky District Court issued a ruling on the extension of Emir Usein Kuku’s pre-trial detention until 8 February 2017. Emir Usein Kuku’s lawyer and family were present at the hearing. On 3 November, the decision to subject Emir Usein Kuku to forced psychiatric examination was handed down by the Federal Security Service.
Emir Usein Kuku is a defendant in the so-called Hizb ut-Tahrir case and has been in pre-trial custody since 11 February 2016. He is accused of terrorism and alleged involvement in the Muslim political organisation, Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is designated as a terrorist group in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Germany, but operates legally in Ukraine and other states. On 5 September 2016, the Kiev District Court of Simferopol dismissed Emir Usein Kuku’s appeal, retained the charges against him, and extended his pre-trial detention until 8 December 2016. While in custody, the human rights defender and his family have been subjected to harassment and intimidation on several occasions.
Front Line Defenders is concerned by the forced psychiatric examination of Emir Usein Kuku, and urges authorities in Crimea to ensure that the treatment of Emir Usein Kuku, while in detention, adheres to the conditions set out in the ‘Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment’, adopted by UN General Assembly resolution 43/173 of 9 December 1988. Front Line Defenders also condemns the extended pre-trial detention and charges brought against Emir Usein Kuku, which it believes to be an attempt to prevent him from continuing his legitimate and peaceful work in defence of human rights in Crimea.
On 26 September 2016, the Crimean Prosecution Office initiated a pre-investigation check of allegedly poor exercise of parental responsibility against Emir Usein Kuku. The human rights defender is a defendant in the so-called Hizb ut-Tahrir case and has been in custody in Simferopol, Crimea, since February 2016.
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The Crimean Prosecution Office, de facto appointed by the Russian Federation, has stated that Emir Usein Kuku, while in custody, is neglecting his parental responsibility, and therefore is in violation of Article 156 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (poor exercise of parental responsibility). Upon initiating the pre-investigation, the Crimean Juvenile Office has mandated Emir Usein Kuku’s family to allow their children to be questioned about their father’s failure to take proper care of them. Following the family’s refusal to do so, a juvenile officer, Mametova Anna Vladimirovna, on several occasions and without parental consent attempted to meet with the children while they were in school. As it stands, the officer has started to draft character references of the children and other family members. Emir Usein Kuku’s children are currently staying at home and afraid to attend school classes.
On 2 March 2016, Bagirov Nasim Vedadievich, who introduced himself as an official of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB), met Emir Usein Kuku’s children at school and told them that their father committed a crime, for which he is going to remain in custody for a significant period of time.
The resort to such conduct towards Emir Usein Kuku’s children by state officials could be perceived as a violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. These conventions prohibit any interference with children’s privacy, family, home, or correspondence, or any unlawful attacks on their honour and reputation. On 16 June 2016, Emir Usein Kuku’s lawyer filed a petition before the Military Investigation Department of the Black Sea Fleet Investigation Committee to account for the abusive acts of the FSB representative.
After a house-check on 11 February 2016, Emir Usein Kuku was arrested on charges of terrorism and alleged involvement in the Muslim political organisation, Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is designated as a terrorist group in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Germany, but is able to work legally in Ukraine and other states. On 12 February 2016, under the decision of the Kiev District Court of Simferopol, Emir Usein Kuku was placed under detention for the duration of the ongoing investigation. On 5 September 2016, the Court withdrew Emir Usein Kuku’s appeal, retained the charges against him, and extended his detention until 8 December 2016, while additional investigative measures are carried out.
Front Line Defenders expresses its grave concern at the detention and charges brought against Emir Usein Kuku, which it believes to be an attempt to intimidate the human rights defender and prevent him from continuing his legitimate work in defence of human rights in Crimea.
Front Line Defenders calls on the authorities in Crimea and the Russian Federation to:
1. Drop the incriminating charges against human rights defender Mr. Emir Usein Kuku, hasten his release, and ensure the physical and psychological integrity and security of Emir Usein Kuku and his family;
2. Immediately cease all further harassment of Mr. Emir Usein Kuku's family, as Front Line Defenders believes that they are being intimidated solely as a result of Mr. Emir Usein Kuku’s legitimate and peaceful work in defence of human rights in Crimea;
3. Carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the harassment of Mr. Emir Usein Kuku's family and the accusations made against Mr. Emir Usein Kuku, and publish the results in order to bring those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;
4. Take measures to ensure that government officials in Crimea refrain from making statements or declarations stigmatising the legitimate work of human rights defenders;
5. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Crimea and the Russian Federation are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.
