I would remind that Mirsobir Khamidkariev, a 37-year-old producer and businessman from Uzbekistan, was kidnapped in the center of Moscow on 9 June. He and his common-law wife Eleanora Isayeva were seeking asylum on the territory of Russia.

A few days after the Uzbek refugee disappeared on the territory of Russia, his lawyer Illarion Vasiliyev told Jarayon that Khamidkariev was kidnapped by the Uzbek security services supported by their Russian counterparts, and then he was secretly taken to Uzbekistan through Kazakhstan and put in a Tashkent prison.

In Tashkent, Illarion Vasiliyev managed to learn from the Uzbek refugee that he really was abducted by the Russia Federal Security Services. Lawyer Illarion Vasiliyev said that Mirsobir Khamidkariev was taken from Moscow to Tashkent, the next day after he was kidnapped.

“He was taken to Uzbekistan by plane on 10 June, the next day after the abduction, not by car through Kazakhstan a week later as we has believed. He was abducted by FSB. There were four [officers]. He identified two of them in May 2011, December 2012 and April 2013, when they came to visit him looking for him at his place of residence and employment. The two men showed workers and residents their FSB IDs. Their names are Zakhar and Timur.

The others were also FSB officers. They beat Mirsobir after the abduction. He was beaten and kept with a bag on his head in a basement in Russia. They also threatened to kill him. Handcuffed, he was taken to a plane through ‘the back door’ in the airport and passed to Uzbeks, who accompanied him. It appears that FSB officers had been watching Mirsobir Khamidkariev since 2011,” lawyer Illarion Vasiliyev wrote in his letter.

After Mirsobir Khamidkariev was abducted in Moscow, lawyer Illarion Vasiliyev notified the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg that the Uzbek refugee disappeared on the territory of the Russian Federation and asked the court to apply Rule 39 of the Rules of Court to suspend Mirsobir Khamidkariev’s extradition from Russia to Uzbekistan.

In late August 2014, the Strasbourg court declared that the complaint in the case of Uzbek refugee Mirsobir Khamidkariev would be examined and started asking the Government of Russia questions about his case. According to Vasiliyev, Mirsobir Khamidkariev’s case was launched in the Strasbourg Court.

Since 2011, Mirsobir Khamidkariev has been internationally searched by the Uzbek authorities. He was charged with creation of a terrorist organization titled “Islom zhikhodchilari” which allegedly comprised well-known Uzbek athletes, intellectuals and businessmen.

During the trial in Tashkent, lawyer Illarion Vasiliyev found out that the Uzbek refugee partially pleaded guilty.

“Mirsobir partially admits his guilt saying that two times he participated in friendly meetings (parties) of classmates on weekends. But during the meetings, they did not talk about banned topics. The question was raised about Islam and it was mentioned that a woman should wear a headscarf, not a hijab. The matter was examined in the court and while questioning the witnesses, the judge stressed that a handkerchief was mentioned, not a hijab.

A part of the classmates were subsequently criminally prosecuted, but eventually they were released. Nothing was mentioned about Gulnara, about Farukh Saipov (an Uzbek actor, who made “Nafs” (Temptation) movie produced by Mirsobir Khamidkariev – “Jarayon”) and nothing was mentioned about movies or the opposition. Also, Mirsobir’s abduction was not mentioned,” wrote lawyer Illarion Vasiliyev.

However, Jarayon found out that Khamidkariev was physical abused in Tashkent during the investigation. However, it was forbidden for the Uzbek refugee to speak in the court about the tortures.

“After Mirsobir was taken to Tashkent, he was kept in the Tashkent prison, where he was beaten for two months. They constantly punched and kicked in the prison of the Interior Ministry. He was hung upside down on a rod to make the blood run into his head. They broke his six teeth and two ribs. Mirsobir was asked to plead guilty, but he did not. An agreement was made with him that during the trial he would not speak about the tortures and abduction,” said lawyer Illarion Vasiliyev.

According to Illarion Vasiliyev, Mirsobir Khamidkariev’s trial will be completed before the end of 2014. Illarion Vasiliyev said an appeal would be filed, which can mitigate the accusation.

“If article 244 is removed, he can be amnestied if charged with article 216. Mirsobir fears that if he is sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment, they will destroy him there”, Russian lawyer Illarion Vasiliyev wrote at the end of his letter.

Jarayon will continue following the fate of Uzbek refugee Mirsobir Khamidkariev.

Mubina SAFAROVA