Rights defenders assess fair trial chances of Chechen resident extradited from Georgia

Relatives' concerns about the fate of Ramzan Akhyadov, accused of terrorism and extradited to Chechnya, are not ungrounded, since in his homeland, he may be subjected to torture and illegal prosecution, rights defenders believe.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Georgian authorities had extradited Ramzan Akhyadov, 40, a native of the Vedeno District, accused of terrorist activities, to Russia. His relatives expressed fears about his health and future fate.

Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, Director of the Centre for Conflict Analysis and Prevention, has told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that human rights organizations are trying to monitor the fate of extradited persons. "But it's difficult to do, especially if the person was extradited to Chechen authorities. Even if he is tortured, his relatives try not to complain, fearing to worsen the person's already difficult situation. Nevertheless, some information is still coming in," Ms Sokiryanskaya believes.

"If he (Ramzan Akhyadov) has been extradited to Chechnya, then the fears are justified," she said. According to her version, "it's difficult to guarantee that ... the man won't be tortured."

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 26, 2019 at 03:40 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.