In Azerbaijan, refugees from Chechnya state violations of their rights

The Chechens living in Azerbaijan want their rights to be respected according to the Constitution of the country. This was stated by Ramzan Mollaev, one of the refugees from Chechnya, during the roundtable that took place on February 17 at the Baku business centre "Caspian Plaza" and dedicated to the status of migrants in the country.

The event was attended by representatives of the Chechen and Afghani refugees, and of Meskhetian Turks. The toughest criticism was exposed by representative of Chechen refugees Ramzan Mollaev.

He highlighted the problems of "Chechens' disappearances in Azerbaijan and unjustified deportation of them to Russia." "We still know nothing about the fate of Yusup Nagaev, who was extradited by the Republic's Prosecutor's Office 10 days ago," said Mr Mollaev.

He has added that as soon as "proper conditions are in place" the Chechens will come back home.

Ramzan Mollaev has also mentioned the insufficient humanitarian aid rendered by international organizations to Chechen refugees. In Baku, Chechen refugees are provided with 166 grams of foodstuffs per person per day, slightly more than residents of Leningrad in blockade, where the daily norm was 125 grams of bread.

The State Office of Public Prosecutor has refrained from any comments on the information about ex-tradition of Chechen refugees, and Yusup Nagaev, in particular.

The "Caucasian Knot" has already reported that on February 6, the Azerbaijani authorities extradited Yusup Nagaev, a resident of Chechnya, to Russian law enforcers. He was arrested in Baku in April 2008 by request of the Russian party on charges of kidnapping.

The advocate of Mr Nagaev said that the extradition was conducted in violation of the legislation of Azerbaijan and international conventions.

Isa Akhyadov, representative of Chechen refugees in Azerbaijan, believes that Nagaev's case has customized political character. "During the investigation, no proofs of Nagaev's guilt were presented," said Mr Akhyadov. He has added that "arresting a person who is under the auspice of the Supreme Commissariat for Refugees is inadmissible", therefore the extradition decision is against international conventions and other international acts.

Yusup Nagaev, 41, was once a driver and security of the former vice-president of Chechnya Saidkhasan Abumuslimov (under President Zalimkhan Yandarbiev).

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