Crimean journalist Remzi Bekirov moved to a prison in Khakassia

Citizen journalist with "Crimean Solidarity", Remzi Bekirov, is being moved from the pre-trial detention center in Krasnoyarsk (Russia) to penal colony No. 33 in Abakan (the capital of the Republic of Khakassia). He wrote this in a letter to his wife Khalide, reports Crimean Solidarity.

As of August 5, the journalist was in an intermediate facility – the Abakan detention center No. 2. He was taken from Krasnoyarsk on August 4 in a "Stolypin's train car", which is specially designed to transport convicts and prisoners. It has iron bars and small cells with narrow benches inside. Such train cars usually lack ventilation or light, and are pretty unsanitary, Crimean Solidarity notes.

Remzi Bekirov. Photo by Crimean Solidarity

In his letter, the journalist did not describe how he survived the trip, but noted that he had "many adventures on the road" after being "searched and loaded onto the train."

Remzi Bekirov will stay in the Abakan PTDC for three to six days and then sent to penal colony No. 33.

He told his wife that he was not receiving any news from her while being moved. The journalist passed his greetings to his relatives and "everyone who remembers [him]".

As IMI reported, in July 2024, Remzi Bekirov, sentenced to 19 years in prison on sham charges by Russia, was moved from the Yeniseisk prison No. 2 (Krasnoyarsk Kray, Russia). At that time, the prison administration refused to tell Remzi Bekirov's wife where he was being taken.

Who is Remzi Bekirov

Remzi Bekirov is a citizen journalist who livestreamed searches and trials in politically motivated cases against the residents of Crimea, in particular in the cases of Veciye Qaşqa, the detention of the UOC priest Klyment, the "Hizb ut-Tahrir" case, etc. Remzi Bekirov initiated the idea of ​​collective assistance to the families of Crimean political prisoners. Has three underage children.

In March 2019, Russian security forces in Crimea searched the homes of Crimean Tatar activists, most of whom are Crimean Solidarity representatives. Remzi Bekirov was one of them.

25 Crimean Tatar activists were accused of involvement in the Islamic political party "Hizb ut-Tahrir", outlawed in Russia as a terrorist organization, but legal without restrictions in many countries across the globe.

Remzi Bekirov was charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for organizing the activities of a terrorist organization.

On March 10, 2022, the Southern District Military Court of Rostov-on-Don sentenced the human rights activist Remzi Bekirov to 19 years in prison.