The wife of political prisoner Crimean Tatar Tofik Abdulhaziiev, Aliie Kurtametova, reported that her husband has the fourth stage of disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis, which threatens his life. According to Russian “legislation,” a prisoner with such a disease can be released from prison. However, Aliie reports that the Russians have refused to release him:

“There are black spots all over his lungs. He is barely alive, but prison doctors say they release such patients only ‘two hours before death’.”

Aliie Kurtametova added that poor nutrition in prison is making her husband’s condition worse because people with tuberculosis need to eat very well. In addition, the prison tuberculosis hospital No. 3 in Cheliabinsk, where her husband is held, does not accept parcels.

Tofik Abdulhaziiev was illegally convicted by the occupiers in the so-called “Second Simferopol Group” case. The man was arrested in 2019. In May 2022, the occupation “court” pronounced a verdict of guilty against Abdulhaziiev and illegally sentenced him to 12 years in a maximum security colony, the first five years of which were served in prison. In July 2023, the man was transferred to a prison in the Cheliabinsk region of Russia.

Yesterday, July 8, the Cheliabinsk Metallurgical District Court was supposed to consider the lawyer’s request to release Tofik Abdulhaziiev from prison due to his health condition. However, the hearing was postponed to August.