The independent journalist, Elena Maglevannaya has reported that a former Chechen resistance fighter and his family are facing deportation from Austria.

According to the information, Timerlan Tamayev participated in both the first and second Russian-Chechen wars against the Russian invaders in his homeland. He fought in a division of “Green Berets” which was under the command of the well-known Chechen field commander, Salman Raduyev; as well as among the Presidential Guards. On June 24, 2000 Timerlan and his brother Ruslan were captured by Russian soldiers. Timerlan was held for 10 days, and Ruslan for 23 days. During their captivity, they were tortured into confessing their participation in the Budennovsk operation in 1995, with the Chechen field commander, Shamil Basayev. Indeed, Timerlan was involved with this operation, but his brother wasn’t there. Their relatives were able to pay bribes and saved them from the hands of Russian soldiers. Timerlan’s brother Ruslan died recently because of the toll the torture took on his body. After their release, Timerlan went to Azerbaijan in October 2000 and lived there until 2007. However, his life was in danger because the Azerbaijani government was handing Chechen refugees over to Russia and Chechen refugees were disappearing. Thus, he decided to leave Azerbaijan and arrived in Austria in 2007. He asked for asylum immediately, but on December 28, 2012 he received the latest negative response, and at the moment his case is in the Constitutional Court. However, he has no hope because of a lack of money he couldn’t hire a lawyer.

Timerlan Tamayev is married and has 13 children; 11 of which are minors. He is afraid that he will be deported to Russia. He believes that he will face more torture if his deportation is realized. On the other hand, his brother Said-Emin who lives in the Russian occupied Chechen Republic of Ichkeria recently warned him to do anything possible not to return, because armed bandits from the pro-Russian regime visited his house, asked about Timerland and threatened his brother to bring back Timerlan.

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