Egypt: Fear of imminent expulsion of six Chechen to the Russian Federation_Fear for their safety

The International Secretariat of the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Egypt/ the Russian Federation.

Brief description of the situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society (RCFS), a member of OMCT SOS-Torture Network, about the risk of imminent expulsion to the Russian Federation of six Russian nationals from Chechnya residing in Egypt in order to pursue their studies, namely Ms. Mustapaeva Zina, Ms. Tarzaeva Zalina, Mr. Adikhadjiev Mukhammed-Amin, Mr. Akhmadov Usam, Mr. Azimov Akhmed and Mr. Abdullaev Maskhud Supyanovich (born on 23 October 1986). They have been reportedly detained incommunicado since their arrest until they were brought today to the Minister of the Interior, in Cairo.

According to the information received, all six were arrested on 27 May 2009 in a wave of arrests[1] by the Egyptian State Security Investigations (SSI) officers, allegedly in connection with a routine inspection of their residence status. However, all six had reportedly their residence permits renewed before their arrest and no further information was provided by the Egyptian authorities as to the exact reasons of their detention. According to the same information, four other students from the Chechen Republic (whose names were not provided), who were also arrested on 27 May 2009, were expulsed on a special flight to Moscow on 9 June 2009. While three of them were eventually released after several hours of interrogation by Federal Security Service (FSB) and Chechen security forces in Moscow (no further information available on the conditions of the detention), one was allegedly transferred to Chechnya. His family reportedly paid a ransom in order to have him released.

OMCT is gravely concerned about the risk of imminent expulsion of Ms. Mustapaeva Zina, Ms. Tarzaeva Zalina, Mr. Adikhadjiev Mukhammed-Amin, Mr. Akhmadov Usam, Mr. Azimov Akhmed and Mr. Abdullaev Maskhud Supyanovich to the Russian Federation, all the more since, reportedly, none was able to lodge an appeal against the decision of expulsion and no further information was provided as to the reasons of this decision.

OMCT is particularly concerned for the safety of Mr. Abdullaev Maskhud Supyanovich, as his father is a Chechen independence movement leader, currently wanted by the Chechen authorities. According to the same information, similar situations have already been reported whereby relatives of Chechen independence movement militants have been arrested and subsequently tortured and ill-treated by Chechen security forces in order to exert pressure on the militants. Mr. Abdullaev Maskhud Supyanovich left the Chechen Republic in 1999 with his mother, first going to Azerbaijan and later to Egypt in order to study at the Al-Azhar Islamic University.

OMCT urges the Egyptian authorities to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. Mustapaeva Zina, Ms. Tarzaeva Zalina, Mr. Adikhadjiev Mukhammed-Amin, Mr. Akhmadov Usam, Mr. Azimov Akhmed and Mr. Abdullaev Maskhud Supyanovich at all times in accordance with international human rights law, in particular the provisions of the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). OMCT recalls to the Egyptian authorities the absolute prohibition of sending a person to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture and other forms of ill-treatment.

Action requested

Please write to the authorities in Egypt urging them to

1. Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. Mustapaeva Zina, Ms. Tarzaeva Zalina, Mr. Adikhadjiev Mukhammed-Amin, Mr. Akhmadov Usam, Mr. Azimov Akhmed and Mr. Abdullaev Maskhud Supyanovich;
2. Guarantee Ms. Mustapaeva Zina, Ms. Tarzaeva Zalina, Mr. Adikhadjiev Mukhammed-Amin, Mr. Akhmadov Usam, Mr. Azimov Akhmed and Mr. Abdullaev Maskhud Supyanovich immediate access to adequate and independent medical care, as well as immediate and unconditional access to a lawyer of his choice and his family;
3. Immediately halt the expulsion of Ms. Mustapaeva Zina, Ms. Tarzaeva Zalina, Mr. Adikhadjiev Mukhammed-Amin, Mr. Akhmadov Usam, Mr. Azimov Akhmed and Mr. Abdullaev Maskhud Supyanovich as there are fears that they may be at risk of torture and other forms of ill-treatment;
4. Guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with international human rights standards, in particular the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

Addresses

• President of the Republic, Muhammad Hosni Mubarak, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Fax: +202 390 1998, E-mail: webmaster@presidency.gov.eg;
• Egyptian Public Prosecutor, Counsellor Abdel Meguid Mahmoud Abdel Meguid, Dar al Qadha al-'Ali, Ramses Street, Cairo, Egypt, Via facsimile: + 20 2 2577 4716;
• Minster of Interior, Minister Habib Ibrahim El Adly, Ministry of the Interior, 25 Al-Sheikh Rihan Street, Bab al-Louk, Cairo, Egypt, Fax: +20 22 796 0682 Email: center@iscmi.gov.eg or moi@idsc.gov.eg;
• National Council for Human Rights, Ambassador Mokhless Kotb, Secretary General
• National Council for Human Rights, 1113 Corniche El Nil, Midane Al Tahrir
• Specialized National Councils Building – 11th floor, NDP Building, Cairo, Egypt, Fax: +2022 574 7497, Email: nchr@nchr.org.eg.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Human Rights and International Humanitarian and Social Affairs, Mr. Wael Abu al-Magd, Corniche al-Nil, Cairo, Egypt, Fax: +20 22 574 9713
• Permanent Mission of Egypt to the United Nations in Geneva, H.E. Mr. Hisham Badr, Avenue Blanc 49, 1202 Geneva, Fax: +41 22 738 44 15, Email: mission.egypt@ties.itu.int

Please also write to the embassies of Egypt in your respective country.

*

Geneva, 17 June 2009

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

[1] A wave of arrests took place on 27 May 2009 among foreign students at Al-Azhar University, the majority being from the Caucus region.