According to the asylum statistics of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), in the period from January 2017 to February 2019, a total of 7,462 Chechens had applied for asylum in Germany. In the same period, the BAMF decided on the applications of 19,099 Chechens. 593 people were granted the status of refugee according to the Geneva Refugee Convention, 438 persons also received subsidiary protection. In addition, the BAMF decided in 353 cases a deportation ban.
The human rights activist and head of the German-Caucasian Association Ekkehard Maaß wrote in an open letter to the Human Rights Commissioner of the Federal Government Bärbel Kofler. »For me, the main problem is that Germany is a constitutional state, which does not even recognize the documents of [its own] state security services, but the documents that are fabricated in an absolute dictatorship as in Chechnya, which are used by the German Higher Regional Courts, the Prosecutor General as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Office of Justice, because they must all agree to each extradition.«
He cannot understand the willingness of German authorities to cooperate with Russia. One example he cited is the case of Bislan Eskachanov. »The extradition request comes from Russia. The Kadyrov regime puts people they want to get hold of on the Interpol list, and then they are handed over to Russia. There is an allegation, a charge that he had participated in a 2001 robbery. But you have to know the background. Two of his brothers have already been killed, and at the end of the second Chechen war a cousin has been killed. He’s a potential avenger now for Kadyrov, and it’s clear that Eskachanov will never be loyal to him.«
Out of a total of 21 Russian extradition requests, Germany has given six positive answers, one person was even transferred directly to Chechnya. Quiet incomprehensible states Ekkehard Maaß: »That people are even handed over to a state which international human rights organizations have shown abuses, humiliates and tortures them«.
For this reason, the Chechen Community of the EU countries and citizens of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria call for a demonstration against the deportations to Chechnya from EU countries on 08.06.2019 in Berlin at the Brandenburger Gate at 14:00.
Recalling the obligation of all States which have signed the to the 1951 Refugee Convention, which prohibits, in accordance with Article 33, that »no Contracting State shall expel or return (refouler) a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.«
As well as the Preamble to the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in particular Articles 1, 2, 3 and 5 of that Declaration; »disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people«
The Chechen Community of EU countries and citizens of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria call for a stop of deportations to Russia.
We note the disturbing increase in anti-Chechen and xenophobic attitudes and statements by journalists and representatives of political parties in the European Union, which, as recent developments in Austria have shown, are not free from the influence of Russia.
We recall that the citizens of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria have suffered a genocide by the Russian Federation, which has killed up to 30% of their citizens. 300,000 people, including 42,000 children. In this regard, the Chechen side filed an application with the International Criminal Court in Hague on 23 February 2018. Thousands of cases have been won by the European Court of Human Rights against Russia, but none of the Russian offenders has been punished so far. In addition, persons from the Russian security structures involved in criminal cases can move freely in the EU.
It should be remembered that today in Chechnya, a regime has been established that is comparable for those affected by it with the Stalinist period of the Great Terror.
The OSCE has established a commission to oversee the human rights situation in Chechnya in connection with extrajudicial killings of 27 people and other human rights violations involving representatives of 16 countries including Germany, Austria, Belgium, France, the US and others , In addition to individual rights, the Chechen people have a collective right to liberty and independence that has been denied us so far.
1. Reaffirming our commitment to legal and democratic values.
2. Call for a solution to the problem of extradition to Russia and the associated torture and death of Chechens and other refugees.
3. Statement of our willingness to provide assistance as well as the proposal to create a commission of human rights activists, experts and representatives of civil society organizations to prevent the illegal extradition of refugees in Russia.
Khuseyn Iskhanov
Said-Emin Ibrahimov
Mayrbek Taramov
Adam Dervishev
Aslan Artsuev