Ukrainian political prisoner Edem Bekirov Facebook Anton Naumlyuk

The judge of Russia-controlled court of Crimea Mykhaylo Sobolyuk did not grant the appeal of the defence and did not change the restrictive measure for the arrested Crimean Tatar activist Edem Bekirov, as the lawyer Olexiy Ladin said, Krym.Realii reported.

“The fact that Russian Security Service suspects Bekirov of committing a felony can’t be a reason for keeping my defendant in torture conditions. Nevertheless, the court ignored everything the defence said. I think it’s easier for the court to make such a decision than analyze what the lawyers and Bekirov himself are taking about. In fact, he is kept in torture conditions of the detention facility, and Russia can’t provide him with normal conditions,” the lawyer stated.

Bekirov himself said that he “wants to live”, but it is “difficult” considering the conditions of the prison. He added that the Russian Security Service faked the case against him.

The lawyer noted that court on Bekirov’s case began three hours later than scheduled. The prosecution did not comment these statements in public.

Earlier, the representatives of the U.S. Embassy expressed concern due to the decision of Russia-controlled court on prolongation of Bekirov’s arrest.

As we reported earlier, the Russian law enforcers detained Crimean Tatar Edem Bekirov at the entrance to the occupied Crimea from Chongar.

“On December 12, 2018, Ukrainian citizen, a Crimean Tatar Edem Bekirov was detained at the entrance to the occupied Crimea. He was born in 1961, he lives in Novooleksiivka, Kherson region. It is known that Edem was heading to Crimea to visit his 78-year-old mother and relatives,” Chairman of Mejlis of Crimean Tatars Refat Chubarov stated.

According to Chubarov, Berkirov was arrested during passport control on the territory controlled by the Russian law enforcers. Later, Chubarov noted that the detainee was taken to Russia’s Security Service office in the annexed Simferopol.

Related video: