Crimean citizen journalist Seyran Saliyev assigned harsher imprisonment conditions by Russia

Crimean Tatar activist and citizen journalist Seyran Saliyev has been assigned harsher conditions while serving his sentence in the Tula Region prison No. 4 (Russia).

The prisoner's wife, human rights activist Mumine Saliyeva reported this on Facebook and shared the details with ZMINA.

She recounts receiving a reply as late as on July 24 saying that on June 20 Seyran Saliyev had "repeatedly violated the prescribed order of serving his sentence" and the prison's commission ruled to send him to a higher security block.

Seyran Saliyev, photo by Crimean Solidarity

Mumine Saliyeva told the human rights group that within this year, her husband has been sent to a solitary confinement cell (SHIZO) several times. Each time he stayed there for 15 days for "dress code violation". She explained that after being sent into solitary confinement several times, a person is already considered a "repeat offender" in the prison. After that, Seyran was assigned harsher conditions of serving his sentence.

Mumine Saliyeva says that detention in such conditions can last up to nine months. A person who kept in harsh conditions stays in minimum contact with their relatives.

According to her, her husband now has to submit a new written application to call his family and wait for it to be approved by the prison administration every time. He is now allowed only two long dates per year as opposed to three.

"I consider these actions initiated by the special service (the Russian FSB – Ed.) and perpetrated by the prison administration as pressure exerted on my husband. Seyran's case was fabricated for exclusively political motives and upon demand from above, which continues to be fulfilled even after the judgement, and the law will be weaponized for exerting pressure and committing crimes," Mumine stressed.

She says that she will appeal to judicial and state authorities, as well as to human rights institutions and public commissions.

The woman urged journalists to make the situation public and appealed to the audience for legal and public support.

The detention of Seyran Saliyev

Seyran Saliev is a linguist specializing in the Turkish and Crimean Tatar languages. Before his arbitraty arrest, he worked as a tour guide and was a citizen journalist for Crimean Solidarity.

On October 11, 2017, the Russian FSB detained six Crimean Tatars in the temporarily occupied Bağçasaray: Timur Ibrahimov, Marlen (Suleyman) Asanov, Memet Belyalov, Seyran Saliyev, Server Zekiryaev, and Ernes Ametov.

On September 16, 2020, the Southern District Military Court of Rostov-on-Don (Russia) passed the judgement in the second "Hizb ut-Tahrir" case in Bağçasaray. The Crimean Muslims were sentenced to 13 to 19 years in prison. Seyran Saliyev, a Crimean Tatar convict, was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

On March 14, 2021, the Appellate Military Court in Vlasykha almost completely dismissed complaints by the defense. A total of over 45 court hearings were held in the case.

Marlen Asanov's, Memet Belyalov's, Server Zekiryaev's, Timur Ibrahimov's, Server Mustafayev's and Edem Smailov's terms in the high security prison terms were left unchanged. The court dropped one charge against Seyran Saliyev, reducing his sentence by one year – to 15 years.

Seyran Saliyev is one of the Ukrainian media workers detained by Russia.