Osman Arifmemetov
Additional Name(s): Арифмеметов Осман Фератович
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Ethnic Group: Crimean Tatar
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 14 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: March/28/2019
Date of Sentencing: November/24/2022
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
Osman Arifmemetov
Extra Bio Info:
Osman Arifmemetov is imprisoned for his alleged religious activity.
On March 28, 2019, authorities arrested and beat Arifmemetov, a citizen journalist and activist from the Crimean Solidarity movement, in Rostov-on-Don after accusing him of being a member of the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir organization. His home in Crimea, Ukraine, was searched. He 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 November 24, 2022, the Southern District Military Court sentenced Arifmemetov to 14 years in prison.
On February 1, 2024, the Military Court of Appeal upheld Arifmemetov's sentence.
Arifmemetov has two children.
Related Cases: Enver Ametov, Ruslan Suleimanov, Yashar Muyedinov, Rustem Sheikhaliev
Publicly Available Information:
- Photo attributed to Memorial Human Rights Center
- "Osman Arifmemetov" Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
- "Апелляционный суд утвердил сроки пятерым фигурантам второго симферопольского дела «Хизб ут-Тахрир»" OVD-Info
- USCIRF Issue Update: Russia’s Religious Freedom Violations in Ukraine July 2023
- "Пятерых крымских татар приговорили к срокам от 13 до 14 лет лишения свободы" Political Prisoners. Memorial
- "Арифмеметов Осман Фератович" 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