Relatives of refugee Mirsobir Khamidkariev, who was kidnapped in the center of Moscow on June 9, 2014, told “Jarayon”that now he is in an investigative ward in Tashkent prison.

Recently Eleanora Isayeva, the wife of Uzbek refugee Mirsobir Khamidkariev, called human rights activist Mutabar Tadjibayeva, the head of “Fiery Hearts Club” International Human Rights Organization, andsaid that her husband is an investigative ward in Tashkent prison.

“Eleanora told me that her husband Mirsobir Khamidkariev was transferred from the Interior Ministry detention center to Tashkent prisonon June 26. His relatives were told they will not be able to see himwithin ten days. But his relatives were promised that after ten days they will be able to give him a parcel: clothing and food,” Tadjibayeva told “Jarayon”.

Mirsobir Khamidkariev, a 37-year-old entrepreneur from Uzbekistan, his partner Eleanora Isayeva and their 8-month child had been on the territory of Russia seeking asylum. Since 2011, Khamidkarievwas wanted by Uzbekistan authorities, who accuse him of involvement in creation of such banned religious extremist organizations as “Islam zhikhodchilari” and “Vakhobiy”.

The refugee denied the accusations and said that the Uzbek security services had been hunting him because of a 1.5 million business he was deprived of in Uzbekistan. In Tashkent,Khamidkariev owned an “Electronics World” store, which was later seized by armed men in masks. In addition, Mirsobir Khamidkariev fell in disgrace of the Uzbek authorities after he acted as the producer of the film “Nafs” (Temptation), which was banned in Uzbekistan, and his conflict with the ruling elite of the country.

It is worth noting that in the middle of May 2014, the Russian government granted Mirsobir Khamidkariev a refugee status.

However, Mirsobir Khamidkariev was secretly kidnapped in the center of Moscow on 9 June 2014. While his wife and child were in a pharmacy, two men rushed into the car where he was waiting for them, and the car drove away towards Chistoprudny Boulevard. Since then, there has been no information about Mirsobir Khamidkariev.

Uzbek human rights activists initially assumed that Mirsobir Khamidkariev was kidnapped by Uzbek security services with the support of their Russian colleagues, and secretly taken to Uzbekistan.

Immediately after Mirsobir Khamidkariev was kidnapped in Moscow, his lawyer Illarion Vasiliyev notified the Federal Security Service, the Border Service, the Federal Migration Service and the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Russian Federation about the need to prevent taking the kidnapped man acrossthe state border of the Russian Federation.

On June 30 2014, lawyer Illarion Vasiliyev told Jarayon that Khamidkariev could not transported from Russia to Uzbekistan by air as he informed the Border Service and airports about the kidnapping in a timely manner.

According to the lawyer, first Mirsobir Khamidkariev was taken from the territory of Russia to Kazakhstan and then to Uzbekistan.

“Law enforcers suggested the night Mirsobir Khamidkariev was kidnaped that he would be taken by car across Kazakhstan. Judging by the time he appeared in Tashkent that was what happened. This is the issue of awareness and inactivity of the Russian security services. They knew how he would be transported, but they did not anything. Tomorrow, on July 1, the Russian government should answer the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, which obliged the Russian authorities to find Khamidkariev and provide an answer by July 1 saying what measures have been taken, and whether the Russian special services participated in his detention. This response should be sent to me from the Court,” said lawyer Illarion Vasiliyev.

On June 15 2014, our website reported referring to human rights activist Tadjibayeva that Eleanora Isayeva, like her husband Mirsobir Khamidkariev, was forcibly taken from Moscow to Tashkentby the Uzbek law enforcement agencies.

Tajibayeva said that currently the Uzbek authorities accuse Eleanora Isayevaof illegal crossing the state border of Uzbekistan. According to her, this way the Uzbek securities try to put pressure on MirsobirKhamidkariev, who is under investigation, or scare EleanoraIsayeva to have her stop fighting for the rights of her husband.

“After Mirsobir disappeared in Moscow, his wife and mother-in-law decided to go to Kazanwith their eight-month child, where they have relatives. They were supposed to fly to Tatarstan on June 13 at 4.00 a.m. In the morning Eleanora, her mother and the baby arrived at the airport. When the registration of passengers to Kazan started, Eleanora was approached by two unknown men, who asked her: “Are you Isayeva?” When she answered affirmatively, the men showed her their IDs of Uzbekistan Interior Ministry and demanded that she should follow them without yelling and scandals to fly from Moscow to Tashkent. Otherwise, the men threatened Eleanorawould be deported from Russia to Uzbekistan.

“Upon arrival in Tashkent, for a whole day Eleanora was kept in an apartment. She was deprived of her passport and phone. Uzbek security officers issued an act of withdrawal of her documents. After that Isayeva was charged with an administrative offense under Articles 289 and 290 of the Administrative Code – she is accused of illegal crossing of the state border.

According to the Uzbek side, Eleanora does not a permit note in her passport to leave the Republic of Uzbekistan. Uzbek security officers did not have anything against Eleanora’s mother, and at the Tashkent airport they immediately let her go. Eleanora said that she could be fined or put on probation. Now inspector named Abdullah, who is in charge of her case, and Eleanora are awaiting a trial,” said human rights activist Tadjibayeva.

“Jarayon” will closely follow the fate of Uzbek refugee Mirsobir Khamidkariev and his wife Eleanora Isayeva.

Guzal AKHMEDOVA