Rights defenders treat Polish authorities' mistrust of Dagestani ex-law enforcer Navruzbekov as justified

The deportation of Emran Navruzbekov, a former Dagestani law enforcer, was the result of the justified distrust of Polish authorities in his words, but this is only a special case, human rights defenders and a journalist have pointed out.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 6, it became known that Poland, by ignoring the emergency complaint submitted to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), had deported Emran Navruzbekov, a former officer of the FSB (Russian Federal Security Service) from Dagestan, to Russia. He was handed over to Russian law enforcers, while his wife and children received asylum in Poland. Polish authorities have explained that the information that Navruzbekov told about himself "deserved no credibility." Navruzbekov was hastily deported; his right to appeal against the decision was violated, his advocate has stated.

Meanwhile, Oleg Orlov, a co-chair of the "Memorial Human Rights Defence Centre" and the head of the "Hot Spots" Project, believes that the incident with Navruzbekov will not affect the cases of other law enforcers seeking asylum in Europe.

"We know a number of cases, when former law enforcers had asked for asylum in Europe. For example, a law enforcer from Chechnya, [Suleiman] Gezmakhmaev, received such asylum. Law enforcers are granted asylum, if they properly explain what they were fleeing from, and what they were threatened with," Mr Orlov has explained.

Oleg Orlov has added that in the story of the Chechen law enforcer, Yasin Khalidov, who was detained while trying to leave Russia, "there is no continuation now."

"Unfortunately, most likely, he was killed. After all, he leaked very important data ... A person who divulges such information about work is not forgiven in Chechnya," Mr Orlov has stressed, adding that since Navruzbekov is not from Chechnya, he has a chance to stay alive, although he may be punished.

The history of Emran Navruzbekov has initially looked doubtful; and his very behaviour was adventurous, a Dagestan journalist has stated. In his opinion, Navruzbekov's awareness of any incidents looks superficial.

Let us remind you that earlier Osechkin* had stated that Navruzbekov, in violation of the rules on asylum seekers, was not all the time in the territory of Poland, but travelled to other EU countries and was engaged in "very suspicious activities."

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents