The Polish news channel TVP Info reported that a Chechen man has been detained in Poland and now the family, which includes two sick children is at risk of being extradited.

According to the report, Rustam Dadaev was detained in Warsaw, Poland on July 22 and was sent to the closed center for foreigners in Białystok. Rustam Dadaev had fled from the Russian occupied Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and came to Poland with his wife Aminat and a small son, four years ago through Ukraine. Aminat became pregnant in Poland, but due to the disastrous health situation facing her mother, she went back to Chechnya where she gave birth to twins. One of them, a boy became seriously ill there. She could not find medical treatment in Chechnya and for this reason she returned to Poland with her two week old twins. The family applied for asylum in Poland three times (2008, 2009 and 2010) but all of the requests were rejected. While applying for a fourth time, Rustam was arrested.

“The boy has problems with his sight and mobility. During his first year, he always laid on the bed. He needs permanent rehabilitation. The mother gave birth to a fourth child whose name is Timerlan, on January 1st. Unfortunately, he is sick too. He has atopic dermatitis and a respiratory disorder. The family tries to obtain refugee status because they would like to stay in Poland legally. He works and spends all of his earnings on his family and sick children. I am trying to do everything possible to help them. I applied to the court to release him. Without Rustam, this woman is helpless. She can’t even speak good enough Polish. I can assure you that they don’t want to run away from Poland. They are very keen on life in Poland and treating their children well. I think that Poland has ended up helping Chechens,” said Małgorzata Sadowska, a Polish woman who helps the family.

Agnieszka Golias, a spokeswoman for the Nadwiślański Border Guards Unit, explains why Rustam Dadaev was detained by border guards while he was applying for asylum in Warsaw: “It is a special situation. If a foreigner crossed the border illegally and later applies for asylum three times and all three applications are rejected, there is suspicion when the foreigner applies a fourth time to extend his/her stay in Poland. Thus, he was detained. Now he has to wait to see what the decision will be from the Office for Foreigners. If Rustam Dadaev does not get refugee status, we will probably deport him”.

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