Story of blogger Isaev's deportation from Russia and Ukraine cast doubt on Baku's version

The Russian authorities sought an accelerated deportation of Saint Petersburg blogger Elvin Isaev, and the unusual procedure of deportation from Ukraine to Baku may indicate the involvement of secret services. This was reported to the "Caucasian Knot" by members of the Kharkov human rights group and advocates from the "Migration and Law" human rights network, who were engaged in the Elvin Isaev's case.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 14, Saint Petersburg blogger Elvin Isaev was detained in Ukraine "for violating the requirements of the migration law" and deported to Azerbaijan, where he was brought to a SIZO (pre-trial prison).

Yevgeny Zakharov, the head of the Kharkov human rights group, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that Elvin Isaev had contacted them in Ukraine, but refused to apply for asylum in the country. "He wanted to get into some western country, and he asked for help in doing that," Yevgeny Zakharov said.

"He was apparently kidnapped and secretly transported across the border," suggested Yevgeny Zakharov. According to the human rights defender, not only Azerbaijani secret services, but also the Security Service of Ukraine was involved in the kidnapping of Elvin Isaev.

Advocates asked the Russian Migration Department to provide Elvin Isaev with temporary asylum, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed by Yuri Serov, a defender of Elvin Isaev, an advocate from the "Migration and Law" human rights network.

However, the motion was considered and dismissed "in record short time," Yuri Serov emphasized. "Elvin Isaev believes that he was ordered by the Azerbaijani government, and, of course, the Baku authorities deny that," Yuri Serov said.

The detention of Elvin Isaev in Ukraine on December 14 was reported by the State Migration Service (SMS) of Azerbaijan. Elvin Isaev himself addressed the Azerbaijani SMS, the State Migration Service emphasizes.

The advocates from the "Migration and Law" human rights network do not trust the above information. "A person, of course, is capable of different actions. However, why would he contact officials of the state unfriendly to him? All that is strange and illogical," Yuri Serov pointed out.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 18, 2019 at 11:22 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.