DUSHANBE, March 23, 2013, Asia-Plus – Kiev’s appeals court has upheld a verdict extending detention for former Tajik Prime Minister Abdumalik Abdullojonov, Russian news agency, Itar-Tass, reports.
The court rejected an appeal by Abdullojonov’s lawyers on March 21.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has called on the Ukrainian authorities to release Abdumalik Abdullojonov on the ground that he has a refugee status.
A statement released by the UN Refugee Agency on March 20, in particular, notes that UNHCR is deeply concerned about the continued detention and possible refoulement of Abdumalik Abdullojonov, a recognized refugee arrested in Ukraine.
UNHCR reiterated the importance of the principle of non-refoulement, under which no refugee can be forcibly returned to their country of origin, including by way of extradition.
“Refoulement is a violation of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, to which Ukraine is a signatory, as well as a fundamental breach of international human rights law. Refoulement is also prohibited under the national laws of Ukraine,” the statement says.
UNHCR urged the Ukrainian authorities to act in accordance with international law by respecting Abdullojonov”s refugee status and releasing him from detention. “Ukraine is a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention relating to the status of the refugees and the 1967 protocol,” the statement notes.
We will recall a court in Kiev’s Shevchenko district ruled on March 15 that Abdumalik Abdullojonov can be held in detention for up to 12 months while the issue of his possible extradition to Tajikistan is decided.
Abdumalik Abdullojonov, 64, was arrested at Borispol Airport near Kiev on February 5 on an international warrant after arriving from the United States.
The Borispol court ruled on February 7 that former Tajik Prime Minister Abdumalik Abdullojonov can be held in detention for up to 40 days while authorities await documents from Dushanbe regarding his possible extradition.
The Prosecutor-General’s Office of Tajikistan has sent an extradition request for Abdumalik Abdullojonov to the Ukrainian authorities on February 18.
Abdumalik Abdullojonov, who challenged Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in the 1994 presidential election, is accused by the Tajik authorities of involvement in a 1996 assassination attempt on President Rahmon. He is also accused of backing a 1998 militant attack in Sughd Province, and of organized crime and terrorism-related offenses.
Abdumalik Abdullojonov denies these charges.
Abdullojonov was granted political asylum in the United States in June 1999 and for the past decade, Abdullojonov has lived in the United States.
Amnesty International (AI) has written to the Ukrainian authorities urging them not to return former Prime Minister Abdumalik Abdullojonov to Tajikistan where “he would be at risk of torture and other grave human rights violations.” Amnesty International has also urged the Ukrainian authorities to immediately release Abdumalik Abdullojonov. A statement released by AI on March 4, in particular, notes that Amnesty International is concerned that, if extradited to Tajikistan, Abdumalik Abdullojonov will face unfair trial and be at risk of torture and other ill-treatment. The organization has called on the Ukrainian authorities to refuse any request from the Tajikistani authorities to extradite Abdumalik Abdullojonov, and to grant Abdumalik Abdullojonov access to a fair and impartial asylum procedure.
