Turkey: an unsafe place for political dissidents
Published on 2018-04-05 14:15:00, Amsterdam
The detention of Sukhrob Turaev and Nasimzhon Sharipov is another example of how it becomes unsafe for dissidents and persecuted for political reasons while being in Turkey’s territory. March 19, 2018 in Istanbul, not the first time, was detained leader of the political "Group 24" Sukhrob Turaev (date of birth: November 24, 1978), as well as a member of the "Group 24" Nasimzhon Sharipov (date of birth: February 18, 1985). The reasons for the detention of Turkish law enforcement agencies are called "participation in a terrorist organization" and "a threat to national security." At the same time, Sukhrob Turaev and Nasimzhon Sharipov themselves deny any involvement in terrorist activities.
The first arrest of the Turkish authorities, to which Sukhrob Turaev was subjected, occurred in 2014. That time he, together with the founder of the "Group 24" Umarali Kuvvatov, who was later killed in Istanbul by unknown people, was detained by the Turkish authorities at the request of the Tajik side. However, at that time Turkey refused to extradite them to Tajikistan because of the political nature of the case.
After the first arrest in 2014, Sukhrob Turaev appealed to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Ankara and, after studying the case, he was officially recognized by the UNHCR as a refugee, who needs international protection. The UNHCR certificate also mentions that the return of Sukhrob Turaev to his homeland threatens his life and freedom. Also in 2015, UNHCR in Ankara considered the case of Nasimzhon Sharipov about seeking international protection in Turkey.
The spokesman of the “Group 24” Saidali Ashurov is sure that even now the detention of Sukhrob Turaev and Nasimzhon Sharipov was also carried out at the request of Tajik special services with the assistance of representatives of the Consulate of Tajikistan in Istanbul, including the consul himself, Mirzobeddin Safarov. Recall that in the fall of 2014, "Group 24" was recognized by the Supreme Court of Tajikistan as an extremist organization and banned in the country. Opposition "Group 24" was formed in Russia in 2012 by Umarali Kuvvatov and Sharofiddin Gadoev. Members of the Group repeatedly held protests against the government of Tajikistan in various cities of Russia and Europe, and declared their commitment to non-violent political struggle with the regime of Emomali Rahmon.
There is every reason to believe that if Sukhrob Turaev and Nasimzhon Sharipov are extradited to Tajikistan, they will be subjected to serious human rights violations, in particular: detention without contact with the outside world, torture and other cruel treatment and unfair trial. As previously reported, Tajik authorities do not provide lawyers in cases of a political nature of cases and judicial hearings against political prisoners that are held in closed mode, and the practice of torture is widespread.
The international community and the media are aware of numerous cases of torture and ill-treatment in Tajikistan in relation to detainees already in the process of inquiry. So, on March 29, 2018, the native of the city of Kulyab, Abdurasul Nazarov, died at the Sino-2 Department of MIA in the city of Dushanbe during an inquiry by law enforcement officials. According to relatives on the body and face of Abdurasul Nazarov, there were numerous signs of beatings and torture. And this is not the only such case when detainees die as a result of unauthorized, brutal actions by Tajik law enforcement agencies.
The Human Rights Vision Foundation calls on the Turkish government to release Sukhrob Turaev and Nasimzhon Sharipov from arrest, as well as ensure the safety of foreigners persecuted for political reasons in accordance with the norms of international law.
We are worried that the continued presence of Sukhrob Turaev and Nasimzhon Sharipov in Turkey poses a threat to their lives, in view of existing precedents, including the murder of Umarali Kuvvatov in Istanbul in 2015. In this regard, we urge the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to assist in the humanitarian resettlement of Sukhrob Turaev and Nasimzhon Sharipov to a third secure country.