Crimean Tatar activist Lenur Khalilov, sentenced by a Russian court to 18 years in prison over alleged involvement with Hizb ut-Tahrir, is back in custody following the reversal of a decision to release him on medical grounds. He has been diagnosed with liver cancer, which cannot be adequately treated in prison, according to an investigation by Novaya Gazeta Europe.
In the investigation by journalist Anton Naumlyuk, the newspaper describes the prosecution of the former chairman of the independent Alushta Muslim community and a dispute involving Yukary Jami, one of Crimea's oldest mosques.
Khalilov was detained in June 2019 alongside several other Crimean Tatars. Russian investigators accused them of involvement with Hizb ut-Tahrir, an Islamic political organization banned in Russia as a terrorist group.
In August 2021, Russia's Southern District Military Court sentenced Khalilov to 18 years in prison. He and the other defendants denied involvement in terrorism. According to the investigation, they were not accused of specific acts of violence; the prosecution centered on alleged membership in the banned organization.
Khalilov's health deteriorated severely in detention. According to the newspaper, he was diagnosed with liver cancer that had metastasized, along with other serious illnesses. A medical commission of Russia's Federal Penitentiary Service concluded that the necessary treatment could not be provided under ordinary prison conditions.
In August 2025, a court ordered Khalilov's release on medical grounds. He returned to Crimea and began receiving treatment, but prosecutors appealed the decision. Following a review, he was taken back into custody, interrupting his treatment.
In November 2025, the UN Human Rights Committee adopted urgent interim measures in response to his complaint and called for appropriate medical assistance, as well as consideration of an alternative to detention if treatment could not be provided in custody.
A new court hearing on whether Khalilov should be released on medical grounds was scheduled for October 20, 2026. The outcome was unknown when the investigation was published.
Novaya Gazeta Europe also documented how the independent Alushta Muslim community came under pressure from security and religious authorities after Russia took control of Crimea. Russian authorities subsequently dissolved the community, while management of the mosque passed to structures associated with Crimea's official Muslim religious administration.
Khalilov's case raises questions about freedom of religion, the application of Russian criminal law in occupied territory, and access to medical treatment for seriously ill prisoners.