Crimean Tatar journalist Remzi Bekirov loses 15 kilograms in Russian jail

Crimean Tatar journalist Remzi Bekirov, sentenced to 19 years in prison by Russia, has lost 15 kilograms in the colony No. 33 in the Republic of Khakassia, reports Crimean Solidarity, citing the journalist’s wife Khalide Bekirova.

The journalist’s family met him for the first time in six years during a long visit to the penal colony. Khalide Bekirova arrived there with their three children, with the political prisoner’s father Rustem Bekirov accompanying them on the trip.

Remzi Bekirov with his family during their visit to the Russian prison. Photo by Khalide Bekirova on Facebook.

“The pork he must refuse, the half-portions and the ban on walking up to the bed during the day – all this negatively affects Remzi’s health. But the mental pressure put on him by the jail workers has an even greater effect. They are constantly trying to break him morally,” said the political prisoner’s wife.

The journalist has been placed in a solitary confinement facility (SHIZO) seven times for arbitrary reasons such as praying at night or on a towel, not greeting a jail ward, or not wearing a cap. Finally, Bekirov was assigned enhanced surveillance, spending two months like that.

The Khakassia jail is located over 5000 kilometers away from the journalist’s home. It took his family almost three days to travel to the prison.

“39 hours by train, then a plane flight. With ten heavy bags, through numerous transfers in Siberian frost and snow,” said Khalide.

Who is Remzi Bekirov

In August 2024, Remzi Bekirov was moved from the pre-trial detention center in Krasnoyarsk (Russia) to penal colony No. 33 in Abakan (the capital of the Republic of Khakassia).

On August 10, 2024, his lawyer Emil Kurbedinov reported that citizen journalist Remzi Bekirov, who was sentenced to 19 years in prison, is under pressure from the administration of the prison No. 33 in Abakan, Republic of Khakassia (RF).

Remzi Bekirov is a Crimean Tatar citizen journalist with "Crimean Solidarity". Detained in occupied Crimea during searches in the homes of Crimean Tatar activists on March 27, 2019. Bekirov livestreamed searches and trials in politically motivated cases and reported on the persecution of Crimean Tatars. Sentenced to 19 years in prison for alleged terrorism and attempted overthrow of government by the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don (Russia) in 2020.

Remzi Bekirov is on the list of journalists in Russian detention by the Institute of Mass Information.

In late October 2024, it was reported that Remzi Bekirov had been assigned strict detention regime in the Abakan prison No. 33 (Khakassia Republic).