Nariman Derman, Asan Dursunov, and Eldar Kestan are political prisoners
Three Crimean Tatars from Kherson Oblast have been convicted on charges of participating in the Noman Çelebicihan Battalion and sentenced to serve three and a half years in a strict regime penal colony.
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Nariman Derman, Asan Dursunov, and Eldar Kestan as political prisoners. The three men have been convicted of participating in an illegal armed group on Ukrainian territory for purposes contrary to Russia’s interests, based on allegations they were involved in the Noman Çelebicihan Battalion. Their prosecution and conviction violate their rights to a fair trial. We demand the immediate release of Nariman Derman, Asan Dursunov, and Eldar Kestan and that all criminal charges against them be dropped.
What were the charges against the three Crimean Tatars?
Asan Dursunov, Eldar Kestan, and Nariman Derman are Crimean Tatars who lived in Ukraine’s Kherson Oblast, an area occupied by Russian forces following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Dursunov and Kestan were arrested in 2023, while Nariman Derman was detained on 9 February 2024.
All three were charged with participating in the Noman Çelebicihan Battalion—an ‘armed group not recognised by Ukrainian law and operating against Russia’s interests’ (Article 208, Part 2, of the Russian Criminal Code). The investigative authorities claimed that Eldar Kestan joined the battalion in 2015 and Nariman Derman in 2016. The date of Asan Dursunov’s alleged involvement is unknown.
The trials of the three men took place in the Russian-controlled Henichesk district court in Kherson Oblast. Dursunov was convicted on 16 November 2023, Kestan on 28 November 2023, and Derman in October 2024. All three were sentenced to three years and six months in a strict regime penal colony, with the first year to be served in a cell-type prison.
Why do we consider Dursunov, Kestan, and Derman political prisoners?
Participation in the Noman Çelebicihan Battalion does not constitute a crime. This organisation emerged in September 2015 after the leaders of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People declared a civil blockade of Crimea. Within months, the Ukrainian government adopted a similar policy at the national level. The Battalion never participated in actual combat and, in practice, functioned not as an armed group but as a civil society organisation.
In any case, the activities of the Noman Çelebicihan Battalion cannot be considered illegal. This is evidenced by its cooperation with the Ukrainian Border Service in patrolling the border. It is not the activities of the Crimean Tatar organisation that contradict Russia’s interests, but rather Russia’s illegal occupation of Ukrainian territory.
The very fact that Crimean Tatars detained on occupied Ukrainian territory are being prosecuted under Russian law in a court controlled by Russia is a violation of the Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.
A detailed description of the cases of Asan Dursunov, Eldar Kestan, and Nariman Derman and of our position is available on our website.
Recognition of individuals as political prisoners does not imply the ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project agrees with, or approves, their views, statements, or actions.
How can you help?
You can write to Eldar Kestan and Asan Dursunov at the following addresses:
In Russian:
663180, Красноярский край, г. Енисейск, ул. Декабристов, 11, ГУФСИН России по Красноярскому краю, Кестану Эльдару Алимовичу 1980 г. р.
275502, Херсонская область, Генический район, с. Чонгар, ул. Тараса Шевченко, д. 66, ФКУ СИЗО-1 УФСИН России по Херсонской области, Дурсунову Асану Ебришевичу 1981 г. р.
In English:
Eldar Alimovich Kestan (born 1980), Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Krasnoyarsk Krai, 11 Dekabristov Street, Yeniseysk, Krasnoyarsk Krai, 663180, Russia.
Asan Ebrishevich Dursunov (born 1981), Remand Prison No. 1, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Kherson Oblast, 66 Tarasa Shevchenko Street, Chonhar, Henichesk district, Kherson Oblast, 275502, Russia.
You can also send an email to Eldar Kestan via the F-Pismo and ZT services (for payment with Russian bank cards), PrisonMail (for payment with other bank cards), and Memorial-France (free of charge).
We respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine. However, in order for letters to reach their intended recipients in the occupied territories, the addresses need to be set out in line with Russian rules.
If you know the location of Nariman Derman, please contact us via our bot.
Please note that letters in languages other than Russian are highly unlikely to reach the recipient.
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