Turkey scheduled the
extradition of a citizen of Tajikistan Abdurashid Khamidov a member of the "Group
24" for 5 August 2016. We appeal urgently to cancel his deportation to
Tajikistan, where torture is systemically practiced.
Abdurashid Khamidov (date of birth: 15.12.1989), a citizen of
Tajikistan. He is a member of an opposition political movement Group-24.
Mr Khamidov is persecuted by the country of origin for
his opposition activities as a member of the Group-24. In 2014 Tajikistan
proclaimed the group as an "extremist organisation" for the criticism
spoken out by its activists. In 2015, Mr Khamidov applied for international
protection at the UNHCR office in Ankara.
He has been under the arrest since 15 April 2016. Documents for his
deportation to Tajikistan on 5 August have been processed.
Abdurashid Khamidov was a confidant of the leader of Group-24, Umarali
Kuvatov, who was shot dead on 5 March 2015 in Istanbul. On 19 December 2014, Mr
Khamidov was arrested together with Mr Kuvatov. We wrote about it in detail in
our press release «Turkey: the leader of «Goup 24» Umarali Kuvatov is detained» dated 20 December 2014.
Tajikistan is persecuting Mr. Khamidov for political
reasons.
Association for Human Rights in Central Asia calls on
Turkey to stop the extradition of Abdurashid Khamidov, because it would violate
the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment, which prohibits torture under any circumstances.
Namely - Article 3 of the Convention, which states: "No State Party shall expel, return or extradite a person to
another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would
be in danger of being subjected to torture."
Association for Human Rights in Central Asia reported about
Abdurashid Khamidov’s case to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees, the OSCE, the Amnesty International, the HRW, the
Norwegian Helsinki Committee - NHC, the International Partnership for Human
Rights - IPHR and the media.
