Additional Name(s): Османов Эрфан Серверович

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: 13 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: March/27/2019

Date of Sentencing: January/11/2023

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

Erfan Osmanov

Extra Bio Info:

Erfan Osmanov is imprisoned for his alleged religious activity.

On March 27, 2019, authorities arrested Osmanov, 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. Osmanov 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 January 11, 2023, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Osmanov to 13 years in prison.

On September 11, 2023, the Military Court of Appeal in Vlasikha upheld Osmanov's sentence.

Osmanov has two children.

Related Cases: Servet Gaziyev, Seiran Murtaza, Alim Karimov, Dzhemil Gafarov

Sources:

Additional Name(s): Галеев Ильсур Ильдусович

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Russia

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 11 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: November/5/2020

Date of Sentencing: September/13/2022

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 Religious Activity Religious Association

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Terrorism

Ilsur Galeev

Extra Bio Info:

Ilsur Galeev is imprisoned for his religious association and activity. 

On November 5, 2020, authorities in Kazan arrested several people, including Galeev, for allegedly being members of the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir organization. Authorities accused them of holding meetings, studying religious literature, and recruiting other Muslims to join the organization. Galeev was charged with “participating in the activities of an organization…recognized as terrorist” (Art. 205.5-2 RCC).

On September 13, 2022, the Central District Military Court sentenced Galeev to 11 years in prison.

Galeev is married with one child.

Related Cases: Rail Abdrakhmanov, Vyacheslav Vankov, Lenar Mukhamadeev

Sources:

Dec 6, 2022

The third annual International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit will be held in Washington, DC on January 31-February 1, 2023. The IRF Summit is an annual civil society conference that seeks to create a coalition of organizations to work together to advance international religious freedom, raise public awareness about IRF issues, and increase the political strength of the IRF movement. This year’s IRF Summit will coincide with the National Prayer Breakfast and highlight four distinctive tracks: defending, documenting, developing, and denying. The defending track will focus on the legal, justice, and accountability aspects of freedom of religion or belief; the documenting track will highlight the importance of journalism and gathering evidence; the developing track will examine and develop advocacy efforts and highlight country-level achievements; lastly, the denying track will highlight victims who have been persecuted on the basis of their religion or belief.

Peter Burns, Executive Director of the IRF Summit since its inception in 2021, joins us today to provide some insight into the upcoming IRF Summit. 

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