Freed former prisoner Nariman Dzhelyal advocates for freedom
Nariman Dzhelyal, a former Kremlin prisoner, emphasizes that freedom is the most important thing. Sentenced to 17 years on fabricated charges, he was released as part of a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine in 2024.
Nariman Dzhelyal experienced firsthand the value of freedom. Sentenced by a Russian court to 17 years in prison on fabricated charges, he was released as part of a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine in 2024. He highlighted in an interview with the Polish Press Agency that his work for the rights of Ukrainian citizens and Crimean Tatars was a thorn in the side of the Russian authorities.
I experienced firsthand that nothing is more important than freedom, said the former political prisoner in an interview with PAP.
Since the beginning of the Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014, Dzhelyal openly opposed Russian aggression. As the vice-chairman of the Mejlis, the Tatar self-government, he actively worked to protect the rights of Crimean Tatars. His participation in the Crimea Platform summit in Kyiv in 2021 was unacceptable to Russia. After returning to Crimea in September of that year, he was arrested on charges of alleged sabotage on a gas pipeline.
Harsh prison experiences
Dzhelyal spoke about the harsh conditions in the Russian prison, where he faced humiliation and beatings. Although he was not directly tortured, he witnessed other prisoners being subjected to such practices. He emphasized that the injustice and brutality of the Russian prison system have a significant impact on the psychology of inmates.
Release and return to Ukraine
In June 2024, Dzhelyal was released as part of a prisoner exchange. He described how on June 25, he was summoned to the prison warden in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and informed of the planned transfer. After several days of uncertainty, on June 28, he was transported to Ukraine. At the border with Belarus, he regained his freedom and rejoined his family.
Dzhelal stresses that freedom is not just a theoretical value for him but a practical goal in life. His experiences in a Russian prison only reinforced this conviction. Currently, as the future ambassador of Ukraine to Turkey, appointed by President Volodymyr Zelensky, Dzhelal strives to keep the issue of Crimea and political prisoners prominent on the international agenda.
