The website Ichkeria.info published statements from the Council of Chechen Refugees in Azerbaijan and the Organization of Social and Public Union of Caucasian Confederation, which explained the urgency of the situation for a Chechen asylum seeker in Sweden.

The Appeal of the Council of Chechen Refugees in Azerbaijan:

The Council of Chechen Refugees in Azerbaijan appeals to all humanitarian organizations and people of goodwill.

We would like share the letter which was sent by Zaurbek Gaziyev:

“I, Zaurbek Maskhudovich Gaziyev, born on 04/15/1981. Right now I am in Sweden. I moved out from Chechnya to Turkey via Azerbaijan with another person’s passport on 08/16/2009. Then I moved from Turkey to Sweden on September 28, 2009 and immediately appealed for asylum to the migration office in Sweden. On March 28, 2010, I received a negative decision on my appeal, despite all the efforts of my lawyer who is constantly trying to prove that if I am sent back, I will have serious problems. I have passed all the documents such as a confirmation of my identity, my birth certificate and confirmation from a human rights organization about my situation, which has been published by several websites. Here is a short excerpt from the publication:

‘Abductions and Disappearances Continue in the new year (2005)

On the night of 2 January 2005, around 3.00 am the house of Zaurbek Maskhudovich Gaziyev, born in 1981, who is a father of two children was stormed by around 20-25 armed men in military camouflages who came to the ul.Stroiteley number 2 in Proletarskaya district of Grozny with eight or nine vehicles. They were speaking the Chechen language between themselves and the head of the group was called “Mukhtar”.

They penetrated the room where Zaurbek Gaziyev was; they opened without any warning and wounded him on his shoulder. Gaziyev’s wife tried to approach her husband’s injury with a dress but she was grabbed from her hair and flung against the wall. For three hours, these armed men questioned the injured Zaurbek. At the same time, they searched the rooms, garden and looked for weapons. All of these things happened in front of the frightened small children and their mother. The armed men didn’t allow neighbors or relatives of the Gaziyevs to come into the flat.

Around 6.00 am, they finished searching, as they couldn’t find anything illegal but still, they took Zaurbek Gaziyev away. They also stole gold jewelry, telephones, clothes and some other small things. At 9.00 am, the relatives of Zaurbek went to the city hospital number 9 in Grozny to find out what happened to him. But Zaurbek was in the surgical ward on the fourth floor, two armed men stood in front of the door who were also among the men who conducted the operation. Gaziyev was registered as an “unknown” person and doctors were warned that nobody could see him…’

Besides this document, I showed my injuries as proof. The other proof which I presented was a website where my name was seen on the federal wanted list. And the finally I gave them the letter which was written by the Chairman of the Council of Chechen Refugees in Azerbaijan. This letter was indicating my problems and the dangers of my return to Russia.

After all of these things, unexpectedly I was called by a lawyer on July 11, 2010 and he told me that Russian authorities appealed to Sweden for my extradition. Swedish police confirmed that I live in Sweden, although they had no right to give this information while I was asking them for shelter. The lawyer warned me that they have no right to tell Russia about my presence in Sweden, and if they did it, then I must be in fear because they are going to convey me into the hands of Russia. Another lawyer showed me a printed sheet from the Swedish police which was sent by Russia, where Russian authorities accused me of some terrorist acts, murder and arms trafficking.

I am writing you with the hope that you will assist me, because I don’t want to be delivered into the hands of Russia, where I will definitely be killed.

With respect,

Zaurbek Gaziyev”

The board of the Council of Chechen Refugees in Azerbaijan confirms that Zaurbek Gaziyev left first from Chechen Republic of Ichkeria to Azerbaijan, then from Azerbaijan, because of the threat to his life and health.

We urge human rights and community organizations to assist in determining the fate of Zaurbek Gaziyev.

Yours sincerely,

The Council of Chechen Refugees in Azerbaijan
06.12.2010

The statement of Organization of Social and Public Union of Caucasian Confederation:

“We, a Chechen regional organization, the Social and Public Union of Caucasian Confederation, appeals to Sweden Government and migration service, civil society and human rights organizations confirming the predicament of Zaurbek Gaziyev. He left his homeland because of unjustified persecution, as well as torture, by Russian secret services and their puppets in Chechnya.

We urge you to take all necessary measures in accordance with international law and authorize the granting of a positive political asylum in your country. If he returns to Russia or Chechnya, he will be in serious danger.

Yours sincerely,

I.Shaykhiev
Chairman of the Organization of Social and Public Union of Caucasian Confederation
08.12.2010″

*Text was translated by Waynakh Online and edited by Michael Capobianco