Today, we tell the story of Crimean Tatar activist Eldar Kantemirov, who was unlawfully sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Life before the detention

Eldar Kantemirov was born on July 10, 1980, in the city of Begavat, Uzbekistan, where his family had been deported by the Soviet totalitarian regime. In 1992, his family returned to Crimea.

Eldar was passionate about boxing, becoming the Crimean champion and a prize-winner in the Ukrainian championship.

After finishing school, he entered the Islamic University Kyiv. In 2001, he completed an internship at Al-Azhar University in Egypt, becoming a qualified Arabist.

Upon returning to Crimea, he went into business in the souvenir trade, promoting Crimean Tatar culture.

What did the occupiers come up with?

On June 10, 2019, in the villages of the Alushta and Bilohirsk districts, the occupation administration conducted mass searches in the homes of Crimean Tatars, during which Russian security forces detained eight Crimean Tatars, including Eldar Kantemirov.

Why was Eldar Kantemirov actually detained?

Eldar was known for his civic activism. In 2017, he held a solo protest with a sign reading, “Crimean Tatars are not terrorists,” protesting against the persecution and repression conducted by the occupation authorities. For this, he was detained and fined.

 In November 2017, his home was raided for the first time by special units of the occupation administration, who confiscated all electronic equipment, although no charges were filed at that time. Since then, the pressure continued: security forces regularly came to his home, intimidated him, and hinted that he should leave Crimea. Despite this, Eldar continued his activities: he organized events for children and Muslim holidays, attended court proceedings, and supported the families of political prisoners. His last celebration was held on June 8, 2019, two days before his arrest, in the village of Kutuzivka.

Where is Eldar Kantemirov now?

On August 16, 2021, a court in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, sentenced Eldar Kantemirov to 12 years of imprisonment. The first two years are to be served in a maximum-security prison, with the remaining term in a strict-regime colony, followed by one and a half years of restricted freedom upon release.

Following his sentencing, Eldar Kantemirov was held in Prison No. 1 in Dimitrovhrad, Ulyanovsk region of Russia. In April 2024, he was repeatedly placed in solitary confinement under various pretexts.

“The reason they keep us in isolation is because we, the convicted Crimean Tatars, are citizens of Ukraine,” said Eldar Kantemirov.

In October 2024, Eldar Kantemirov was transferred to a Penal colony No.8 in the Republic of Buryatia, located over 7,000 kilometers from his native Crimea.

Since his detention, his health has significantly deteriorated: he suffers from persistent lower back pain and a pinched spinal nerve, has been diagnosed with the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, and has worsening kidney issues.