Timur Ibragimov
Detained Since: October 11, 2017.
Charges: Participating in the activities of a terrorist organization; preparing a coup d'etat.
Sentence: 17 years in prison.
Biography: Timur Ibragimov, a resident of Bakhchysarai, was arrested by Russian security services after he had been reporting on searches of homes of Crimean Tatar activists and politically motivated trials in Crimea. On September 16, 2020, he was sentenced to 17 years in prison. His appeal to his 17-year sentence was rejected; he is currently to be transferred to a high security prison in the Russian Federation. Ibragimov has a lifelong disability related to eye trauma he sustained in his youth. Furthermore, his medications were confiscated on arrival at a pre-trial detention center, and the extent of care he is receiving for chronic medical conditions remains unknown.
Advocacy Partner: PEN America
Past Advocate: Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ, Ret.)
Updates:
- On November 2, 2022 it was reported that Ibragimov's eyesight is deteriorating after being prevented from accessing eyedrops and other medical treatment necessary to treat his eye condition (November 2, 2022, Ukrinform).
- On December 14, 2022, it was reported that Timur Ibragimov had been transferred to a prison facility in Ryazan Oblast, Russia. Others, such as Marlen Asanov, Seyran Saliev, and Server Mustafayev were similarly transferred to prison facilities located in Russian regions distant from Crimea (December 16, 2022, Ukrainska Pravda).
- Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) released a statement on March 18, 2023, calling for the release of all 14 Crimean Journalists in the Defending Freedoms Project, including Ibragimov (March 18, 2023, Senate Foreign Relations Committee).