Russian occupiers in Crimea search and take away Alushta's Muslim community head

Russian security forces have searched the house of Crimean Tatar Abdul Gafarov, Head of the Alushta Muslim religious community, at dawn. After searches, they took him to the so-called police department in Russian-occupied Crimea. Source: Crimean Solidarity Initiative on Alushta

Details: Abdul Gafarov lives in the village of Verkhnia Kutuzovka, Alushta City District.

The first information about the search of his house appeared at 06:20 in the morning on 30 November. Five minor children from 1 to 15 years old were in Gafarov's house at the time. His wife, Fatma Gafarova, reported that the security forces forbade filming what was happening.

Searches in Abdul Gafarov house Photo: CRIMEAN SOLIDARITY

The Centre for Countering Extremism's staff took Abdul Gafarov to the police department in Alushta after the search.

Photo: CRIMEAN SOLIDARITY

Gafarov was ordered with administrative arrest under Article 20.2.2 of the Russian Criminal Code (Organisation of a mass simultaneous presence and/or movement of citizens in public places resulting in a breach of public order) in August 2023.

He was detained near the building of the Kyiv District Court in Simferopol, where he had come for an open court session.

Abdul Gafarov spent four days in the pre-trial detention centre then.

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