Russia sentences Crimean Tatar POW who fought for Ukraine to 20 years in prison

Ukrainian prisoner of war Seiran Asanov, a Crimean Tatar who fought in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has been illegally jailed by Russia, where he received a 20-year prison sentence on terrorism charges for joining the Noman Çelebicihan Crimean Tatar volunteer battalion.

Source: the Crimean Tatar Resource Center on Facebook

Details: Asanov served in the Noman Çelebicihan unit – the 48th Separate Assault Battalion – from 26 August 2024, and was captured on 18 October 2025 near the settlement of Zolota Nyva in the Volnovakha district of Donetsk Oblast.

He had been held at Pre-Trial Detention Centre No. 2 in Russian-occupied Chonhar, Kherson Oblast, from 19 December 2024, before being transferred to the city of Donetsk and then to the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don. His prisoner-of-war status was confirmed by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The verdict against Asanov on charges of "treason" and participation in the activities of an organisation designated as "terrorist" in Russia was handed down by the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don on 2 April.

Asanov has been illegally sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment in a maximum-security penal colony, with the first five years to be served in prison.

Quote from the Crimean Tatar Resource Center: "The occupiers have also released videos of Asanov being interrogated in captivity, which is further proof that his rights as a prisoner of war were violated. This case shows Russia's systematic disregard for international humanitarian law and the provisions of the Third Geneva Convention."

More details: The Crimean Tatar Resource Center pointed out that such cases are part of a systematic practice of political persecution.

Quote: "On 1 June 2022, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation declared the Noman Çelebicihan Battalion a 'terrorist organisation', after which the Russian occupation authorities began actively using this decision as a tool for the criminal prosecution of Ukrainian citizens."

For reference: Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War has previously explained that exchanging defenders whom Russia has illegally sentenced is particularly challenging. Russian authorities often use such verdicts as a pretext to delay or complicate prisoner swap negotiations, even though these proceedings have no legal basis under international humanitarian law. Under the Geneva Conventions, prisoners of war cannot be prosecuted simply for taking part in hostilities, yet Russia continues to issue these so-called convictions, which creates additional obstacles in efforts to secure their release.

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