On Tuesday Russian authorities arrested the Crimean Tatar lawyer Edem Semedlyaev. According to Human Rights Watch Semedlyaev was the victim of an arbitrary arrest in the course of representing his clients.

Semedlyaev was representing seven Crimean Tatars who were sentenced to prison by a  Russian military court from 13 to 19 years.

Crimean Tatars have been the main voice of peaceful dissent against Russia’s occupation of Crimea.

According to Human Rights Watch the Crimean Tatars have also been victims of enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, torture and ill-treatment in custody.

Semedlyaev arrived at the police station in Simferopol on Monday afternoon, to provide legal representation for Crimean Tatars detained earlier that day. The Crimean Tatars were detained outside a military court building, where they arrived to observe an appeal hearing in what Human Rights Watch describes as a ‘bogus terrorism cases’ since Russia occupied the Crimean peninsula in 2014.

Yulia Gorbunova, Russia researcher at Human Rights Watch, writes: ‘last week’s verdict, once again, shows just how determined Russian authorities are to make Crimean Tatar activists – and their families – pay the price and how they will subvert the law and courts that do so.’

Gorbunova said to Al Jazeera Public Liberties: ‘Since Russia occupied Crimea in 2014, Russian authorities have been truly relentless in persecuting the Crimean Tatar community. Numerous criminal investigations, under various pretexts, have been initiated, dozens sentenced to incredibly lengthy prison terms (up to 20 years), often with complete disregard of basic due process.’

Gorbunova further commented: ‘The main goal of this ongoing persecution appears to be to silent dissent completely and to portray politically active Crimean Tatars as “extremists” or “terrorists.” Russian authorities have used pressure, harassment and intimidation against Crimean Tatar leaders, most have been forced out and left Crimea for mainland Ukraine. Journalists, human rights defenders and lawyers have also been subjected to harassment – the case of Edem Semedlyaev is by no means a one-off. One of Crimea’s leading human rights lawyers has had his home searched, for example and has been repeatedly threatened with disbarment. There have also been other, similar cases. For now, Semedlayev has been released pending review of the charges. Needless to say, all charges against him should be dropped but in today’s Crimea, impunity is high and rule of law is not respected.’