Rustem Osmanov, a Crimean Tatar, sentenced to 6 years for allegedly serving in Chelebidzhykhan Batallion, is being hold in the punishment cell, beaten and left without necessary medical aid for his Ukrainian citizenship.
As reported by Rustem Osmanov, he was imposed the first penalty when he was in the penal colony in the city of Donskoy in the Tula Region, Russia (FKU IK-1, UFSIN of Russia in the Tula Region, RF). He was punished for not indicating toilet paper in the description of personal belongings. Upon his arrival in the colony and unit, Mr. Osmanov writes, the administration staff and prisoners loyal to them began to create unbearable living conditions for him, for instance, they threatened, humiliated, insulted, and as soon as they got the opportunity, they beat him because of Ukrainian citizenship.
“I wrote a statement about the crime, I had broken ribs, there was no response to the statement. Later, the representatives of the administration themselves began to threaten me with criminal prosecution and the creation of intolerable conditions in the colony,” the political prisoner reported.
After he had been transferred to another unit, the abuse did not stop, so as a sign of protest and fearing for his safety, Rustem removed the nametag from his clothes. For this, he was placed in the punishment cell.
“After that, I haven’t left the SHIZO (punishment cell): as soon as the term ended, a colony employee came and informed me that the term had been extended without explaining the reasons. I was not called to the commission, I was not examined by doctors. I have been in the SHIZO since July 16 until now. The conditions here are unbearable: the cell is damp and cold, and there is a strong smell of sewage. Because of these conditions, I feel constantly nauseous, dizzy, have unpleasant sensations in my mouth, I began to cough up blood,” said Rustem Osmanov.
Rustem does not receive any medical aid, despite numerous appeals. In addition, he has a tumor on his tailbone, which hurts a lot, but he is not given effective painkillers.
Rustem Osmanov cannot receive letters or parcels from relatives, he is forbidden to receive correspondence.
In addition, Rustem reported about another Crimean Tatar named Server, convicted of terrorism, being hold in the colony.
(This is Server Zekir’yayev, a defendant in “Hizb-ut-Tahrir” Bakhchisarai II Case sentenced to 13 years in custody. His wife informed that he was being tortured in penal colony No 1, Tula Region, RF – CHRG).
“He is from Crimea, has Ukrainian citizenship as I have, and he has been created the same challenges that I have been: constantly persecuted, prevented from serving the sentence in normal mode,” Mr. Osmanov informed.
As reported by the CHRG:
- In April 2022, the Crimean “FSB” reported that Rustem Osmanov had been detained “when trying to enter Crimea through the Armiansk Road Checkpoint.” “The defendant was established, staying in the territory of Ukraine, to have voluntarily joined the battalion in 2016 providing logistic and food support for the battalion activities, and serving in its armed guards,” the statement said.
- The FSB opened a criminal case against Mr. Osmanov under the Russian Federation Criminal Code Article 208-2 (Organization of an illegal armed unit or service in it as well as participation in an armed conflict or military operations for purposes contrary to the interests of the Russian Federation).
- In August 2022, the “Belogorsk District Court of Crimea” sentenced Rustem Osmanov to six years in custody for serving in the “Noman Chelebidzhikhan Battalion”, as it was said.
- In late December 2022, Rustem Osmanov transferred a letter in which he informed that he had been abducted in Henichesk and tortured.
- Later it was informed that in the penal colony Mr. Osmanov was being forced to take a Russian citizenship and contract to fight in Ukraine.
- In May 2024, Mr. Osmanov reported that the penal colony staff was regularly and severely beating him and threatening to kill him.
