Life Before the Detention

Emil Ziyadinov was born on 19 June 1984 in Uzbekistan, where his family had been deported from Crimea by the Soviet authorities. In 1993, the man and his family returned to their native peninsula. He studied at school and later entered the Taurida National University majoring in “Physical Education”, from which he graduated with honours in 2006.

In 2010, he got married; the family has four sons. In 2017, he performed the Hajj – the pilgrimage to Mecca. Later, he qualified as an electrician and worked in his speciality. From childhood, he was actively involved in sports, participated in competitions, and won prizes. Later, he coached children, passing on his experience to them.

Before his detention, Emil Ziyadinov supported Crimean political prisoners and their families, attended court hearings, delivered aid to places of detention, and came to support his fellow countrymen during searches. In 2018, he held a solo picket with a poster “Muslims are not terrorists”.

Persecution

Following his participation in the action in 2018, Emil was detained, an administrative protocol was drawn up, and he was subsequently fined. After his arrest, while reviewing the case materials, Emil found out that the charges rested on the testimony of a single secret witness known as ‘Tatarov’.

In 2020, FSB officers detained Emil in his own home. He was accused of allegedly participating in the “Hizb ut-Tahrir” organisation, which Russia considers terrorist. On 19 April 2022, an occupation “court” sentenced Emil Ziyadinov to 17 years of imprisonment. He was found guilty of allegedly “organising the activities of a terrorist organisation” and attempting to seize power forcibly.

Behind the Bars

At the end of 2022, Emil was transferred to the Lipetsk region of the Russian Federation. In 2024, health problems became apparent: Emil needed dental services, but a doctor did not examine him for an extended period. He also complained of headaches and blood pressure fluctuations.

Subsequently, Emil was transferred to a penal colony in the Arkhangelsk region, where he was held in a punishment cell for over a year. During this period, he did not have the opportunity to receive parcels and money transfers, make phone calls home, or meet with his family. He was also forcibly shaved, even though his beard met the established rules. Among the grounds for disciplinary penalties was, among other things, praying at night, which contradicted the colony’s schedule. Subsequently, Emil was transferred to a strict conditions unit, which caused his health problems to worsen.