Life before the detention
Ruslan Borysovych Zeitullaiev was born on June 15, 1985, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where his family had been deported by the Soviet regime. When he was nine, his family returned from exile to Crimea and settled in the village of Orlyne, near Sevastopol. Ruslan excelled in school and was a top student, but had to leave after the 7th grade to start working and support his family.
He took on various jobs — as a waiter, cook, and construction worker. Despite the difficult circumstances, Ruslan remained steadfast in spirit, holding firmly to the values of the Crimean Tatar people.
In 2008, he married Meriem. The couple has three children. Ruslan was deeply involved in the life of his community, participating in civic initiatives and supporting the families of political prisoners.
Persecution
On January 23, 2015, Russian FSB officers raided the homes of four Crimean Tatars in Sevastopol, including the Zeitullaiev family residence. On that day, the occupiers conducted illegal searches and detained Nuri Prymov, Ferat Saifullaev, Rustem Vaitov, and Ruslan Zeitullaiev, charging all four with fabricated criminal accusations in the so-called “Crimean Muslims case.”
On September 7, 2016, a court in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, sentenced Ruslan Zeitullaiev to 7 years in prison on charges of “organizing the activities of a terrorist organization” and “preparing for the violent seizure of power by an organized group through prior conspiracy.” However, the occupying country’s prosecution disagreed with the verdict and sought a case review.
Behind the bars
On April 26, 2017, the same court once again found Ruslan guilty and increased his sentence to 12 years in a maximum-security penal colony. Later, on July 27, 2017, the Supreme Court of Russia extended the sentence to 15 years.
Following the verdict, Ruslan was transferred to maximum-security Colony No. 2 in the city of Salavat, Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia. In 2024, he spent 40 days in a punishment isolation cell, after which he was returned to the camp only on March 31. The conditions of detention remain harsh, with systematic pressure from the prison administration.
In response to political persecution, Ruslan repeatedly went on hunger strikes. He first began one on April 4, 2017, during court hearings in Rostov-on-Don. This protest lasted 22 days but was forcibly ended due to a deterioration in his health. In May 2017, he resumed the hunger strike for another 10 days, demanding an end to the persecution of Crimean Tatars and access for the Ukrainian consul.
Ruslan Zeitullaiev became one of the first Crimean Tatars targeted under the so-called “case of Crimean Muslims.” His case stands as a vivid example of political repression, disregard for human rights, and systemic pressure on the Crimean Tatar community under Russia’s occupation of Crimea.