OP-ED
Halya Coynash: Crimean Tatars sentenced for kitchen chat in Russian-occupied Crimean ‘conveyor belt trial’
![](https://archive.kyivpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/08/p1as4ccctj1blb18v6q8j1tnmo434/original-800x480.jpg)
The four Crimean Tatars were accused of involvement in Hizb ut-Tahrir, a totally peaceful pan-Islamist organization which back in 2003 Russia's Supreme Court declared \u2018terrorist.'
The first sentences have been passed in Russia’s mounting offensive against Crimean Muslims, with the four Crimean Tatars all sentenced to real terms of imprisonment. The trial was critical since Russia is already holding 14 Crimeans, almost all Crimean Tatars, in indefinite custody on identical charges.