Letter sent by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to the international human rights organization “Fiery Hearts Club” states that an individual complaint, written on the case of Khairullo Tursunov, asylum seekers from Uzbekistan, is received and during its consideration Tursunov must not be extradited to Uzbekistan.

“The UN body writes that the complaint, which we prepared on the case of Khairullo Tursunov, is accepted. The Bureau sent one copy of this complaint to Kazakh authorities.

They also sent another letter to the government of Kazakhstan asking to refrain from extraditing Tursunov to Uzbekistan while the appeal is under consideration by the Committee. Tursunov can stay in Kazakhstan for about six months now,” says Marina Lebedeva, a leader of the student movement “Ardent Hearts” to “Jarayon”.

Letter from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was sent to Mutabar Tadjibaeva, head of the International Human Rights Organization “Fiery Hearts Club”, on February 28, and on the same day it was sent to the government of Kazakhstan.

The letter states that the individual complaint of Tursunov will be considered in the UN Committee against Torture for six months and during this period, any movement, complaint or dissatisfaction associated with Tursunov must be provided within two months.

Attempts of “Jarayon” to contact representatives of the Kazakh government have so far failed.

Denis Dzhivaga, representative of the International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law in Kazakhstan that works with refugees, said that the Kazakh authorities can extradite the refugee, or can keep him in the country.

– It turns out that international authorities are aware of this case. Now it will be more difficult to our government. If they extradite him, they will not be able to make excuses that they did not know, or something else. International body already warned that this person should not be extradited. Therefore, it would be logical for the Kazakh authorities to refrain [from extraditing Tursunov],” says Dzhivaga.

The individual complaint that “Fiery Hearts Club” sent to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on behalf of Tursunov describes in detail that if extradited refugee may be subjected to severe torture.

The human rights organization also says that the case of Khairullo Tursunov resembles the case of 29 Uzbek refugees, who were extradited from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan in 2011, and were subsequently ill-treated and tortured by Uzbek law enforcement agencies.

In 2010, “Fiery Hearts Club” and the human rights organization ACAT – France (Association of Christians against the Death Penalty and Torture), based in Paris, sent a complaint to the Committee against Torture on behalf of the extradited 29 Uzbek refugees, which was responded positively by the Committee.

However, despite call from international organizations, the Kazakh authorities extradited 29 people to Tashkent in 2011. After, in 2012, the UN Committee against Torture ruled that Kazakhstan has violated its international obligations in the field of human rights by extraditing people to countries where torture is systematic.

The UN Committee against Torture also asked the Kazakh authorities to provide appropriate protection to the extradited 29 Uzbek refugees, including their return to Kazakhstan, and financial compensation.

Khairullo Tursunov was held in the detention center of Aktobe city for 11 months – from April 2012 to February 2013.

In February, the Kazakh authorities transferred him to Almaty, and today he is kept in IVS (temporary detention center).

Uzbek authorities have accused him of terrorism, attempting to overthrow the constitutional order, and membership in a jamaat, established in Almaty.

In 2003, Tursunov was charged with the same accusations – terrorism and attempting to overthrow the constitutional order. Then the Uzbek authorities accused him and 18 other believers of participating in a terrorist organization, and jailed him for 12 years.