In exile, stood at the origins of the Crimean Tatar rights movement, becoming the leader of the Bekabad initiative group as well as authoring many documents about their plight for which he was expelled from the party in 1966, dubbed "the most active supporter of returning to Crimea" by the government in 1967, and eventually sentenced to three years in prison in 1972.

After the remaining German troops were expelled from Crimea in April 1944, he briefly returned to his post as head of the newspaper Qızıl Qırım.

Later on in January 1967 he was included in a list of Crimean Tatar civil rights activists the government was monitoring, which described him as "the most active supporter of returning to Crimea".

In later October his trial was held, with the charges being based on having leaflets detailing the situation of Crimean Tatars in USSR.

He continued his work as leader of the Bekabad initiative group, writing documents calling for right of return until his last days.

As he lay bedridden from cancer, he received visits from other activists of the Crimean Tatar movement, giving them his last advice until he died on 22 July 1983.

His funeral was held the next day and was attended by a huge crowd of fellow Crimean Tatars who travelled from various parts of the Uzbek SSR to say their final goodbyes and give eulogies.