Additional Name(s): Aleksander Dubovenko, Aleksandr Fedorovich Dubovenko, Oleksandr Dubovenko, Дубовенко Александр Федорович
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 6 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: December/1/2022
Date of Sentencing: December/1/2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Discussing Religion & Religious Texts Online Activity Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism
Aleksandr Dubovenko is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On December 1, 2022, the Armyansk City Court of the Republic of Crimea - Russian-occupied Ukraine - sentenced Dubovenko to six years in prison for “organizing the activities of a public or religious association or other organization in respect of which a court has adopted a final decision to liquidate or ban activities in connection with extremist activities” (Art. 282.2-1 RCC). Dubovenko was accused of holding religious meetings, discussing the Bible over Zoom, and attracting new members. Dubovenko was taken into custody following the verdict.
On March 16, 2023, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Crimea upheld Dubovenko's sentence.
Related Cases: Aleksandr Litvinyuk
Photo attributed to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Aleksandr Dubovenko" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Case of Dubovenko and Litvinyuk in Armyansk" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
USCIRF Issue Update: Russia’s Religious Freedom Violations in Ukraine July 2023
"An Appeal in the Crimea Upheld the Conviction of Two Believers. They Were Sentenced to Six Years in a Penal Colony for Reading the Bible" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
"Two Ukrainian believers sentenced to six years in Russian-occupied Crimea for a Zoom conversation about the Bible" Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group (KHPG)
"Свидетелей Иеговы из Крыма приговорили к реальным срокам лишения свободы" SOVA Center
"In Armyansk, Two Believers Were Sentenced to Six Years in Prison. The Court Considered Reading and Discussing the Bible Extremism" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
Additional Name(s): Rustem Seitkhalilov, Сейтхалилов Рустем Нариманович
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Ethnic Group: Crimean Tatar
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 14 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: March/27/2019
Date of Sentencing: March/18/2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Ethnoreligious Identity Possession of Religious Materials Religious Association
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Terrorism Treason & Sedition
Rustem Seytkhalilov is imprisoned for his alleged religious activity.
On March 27, 2019, authorities arrested Seytkhalilov, an activist from the Crimean Solidarity movement, after accusing him of being a member of the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir organization. Authorities searched the homes of several activists and allegedly confiscated Hizb ut-Tahrir materials. Seytkhalilov was charged with “participating in the activities of an organization…recognized as terrorist” (Art. 205.5-2 RCC) and "preparing for actions aimed at the forcible seizure of power or the forcible retention of power” (Art. 30-1/Art. 278 RCC).
On March 18, 2022, the Southern District Military Court sentenced Seytkhalilov to 14 years in prison.
On July 7, 2023, the Military Court of Appeal in Vlasikha upheld Seytkhalilov's sentence.
Seytkhalilov has three children.
Related Cases: Akim Bekirov, Seytveli Seytabdiyev, Asan Yanikov, Eskender Suleymanov
Photo attributed to Memorial Human Rights Center
"Пятерым фигурантам дела «Хизб ут-Тахрир» утвердили сроки до 15 лет колонии строгого режима" OVD-Info
"Another Group Of Crimean Tatar Activists Handed Lengthy Prison Terms In Russia" Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
"Сейтхалилов Рустем Нариманович" Memorial Human Rights Center
"List of Individuals Recognised as Political Prisoners by the Memorial Human Rights Centre and Persecuted in connection with the Realisation of Their Right to Freedom of Religion as of 9 November 2021" Memorial Human Rights Center
"Crimean Tatar journalist faces 15-year sentence for ‘planning to overthrow the Russian regime’ with book on being alone with God" Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group
"Суд продлил Энверу Аметову срок содержания под стражей в СИЗО и отклонил апелляцию защиты" Crimean Solidarity
2019 Report on International Religious Freedom: Ukraine - Crimea U.S. Department of State
"Симферопольское дело 25 о членстве в запрещённой «Хизб ут-Тахрир»" Memorial Human Rights Center
"The FSB is making a large number of arrests in an attempt to close down the Crimean Tatars’ human rights movement" Memorial Human Rights Center
Additional Name(s): Seitveli Seitabdiyev, Сейтабдиев Сейтвели Эскендерович
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Ethnic Group: Crimean Tatar
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 14 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: March/27/2019
Date of Sentencing: March/18/2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Ethnoreligious Identity Possession of Religious Materials Religious Association
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Terrorism Treason & Sedition
Seytveli Seytabdiyev is imprisoned for his alleged religious activity.
On March 27, 2019, authorities arrested Seytabdiyev, an activist from the Crimean Solidarity movement, after accusing him of being a member of the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir organization. Authorities searched the homes of several activists and allegedly confiscated Hizb ut-Tahrir materials. Seytabdiyev was charged with “participating in the activities of an organization…recognized as terrorist” (Art. 205.5-2 RCC) and "preparing for actions aimed at the forcible seizure of power or the forcible retention of power” (Art. 30-1/Art. 278 RCC).
On March 18, 2022, the Southern District Military Court sentenced Seytabdiyev to 14 years in prison.
On July 7, 2023, the Military Court of Appeal in Vlasikha upheld Seytabdiyev's sentence.
Seytabdiyev has two children.
Related Cases: Akim Bekirov, Rustem Seytkhalilov, Asan Yanikov, Eskender Suleymanov
Photo attributed to Memorial Human Rights Center
"Пятерым фигурантам дела «Хизб ут-Тахрир» утвердили сроки до 15 лет колонии строгого режима" OVD-Info
"Another Group Of Crimean Tatar Activists Handed Lengthy Prison Terms In Russia" Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
"Сейтабдиев Сейтвели Эскендерович" Memorial Human Rights Center
"List of Individuals Recognised as Political Prisoners by the Memorial Human Rights Centre and Persecuted in connection with the Realisation of Their Right to Freedom of Religion as of 9 November 2021" Memorial Human Rights Center
"Crimean Tatar journalist faces 15-year sentence for ‘planning to overthrow the Russian regime’ with book on being alone with God" Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group
"Суд продлил Энверу Аметову срок содержания под стражей в СИЗО и отклонил апелляцию защиты" Crimean Solidarity
2019 Report on International Religious Freedom: Ukraine - Crimea U.S. Department of State
"Симферопольское дело 25 о членстве в запрещённой «Хизб ут-Тахрир»" Memorial Human Rights Center
"The FSB is making a large number of arrests in an attempt to close down the Crimean Tatars’ human rights movement" Memorial Human Rights Center