Bekiev, Ashybai
Who, Why and How exiled: In 2009, Bekiev left Turkmenistan with his family and moved to St Petersburg, Russia (Fergana News, 2017). In December 2016, the General Prosecutor's Office of Russia decided to extradite Mr Bekiyev to Turkmenistan, where the authorities declared him wanted on a trumped-up charge of 'incitement of social, national or religious enmity' (Fergana News, 2017).
Stage 2 details (arrest/ detention/ extradition): In 2016, Bekiev was arrested by Russian authorities in response to an extradition request from Turkmen authorities, for charges of "Islamic Extremism". Despite the threats of torture and imprisonment facing Bekiev on return to Turkmenistan, the Russian authorities continued to upheld the decision to extradite him (Fergana News, 2017; Habartm, 2017).
Other actions during Stages 1–3 (dispossession/ overseas assets frozen/ intimidation/ action against associates/ …): On 2 December 2015, the Investigative Department of the Ministry of National Security of Turkmenistan in the Dashoguz velayat (region) opened a criminal case against him in connection with clause 1 of the Article 177 (‘Raising Social, National or Religious Enmity’) of the Criminal Code, which provides up to three years in prison as a punishment ( Fergana News, 2017).
Legal status (refugee/ asylum seeker/ resident): In 2017, the decision to extradite Bekiev was overruled by the European Court of Human Rights and he was released from prison (Habartm, 2017).
Current status: Free in Russia.
Press sources: Fergana News (2017). The European Court of Human Rights suspended the extradition of a Turkmen citizen from Russia. [online] Fergana News. Available at: http://www.fergananews.com/news/26403 [Accessed 15 Apr. 2018]. Habartm (2017). Turmensky Muslim released from jail in St. Petersburg. [online] Habartm.org. Available at: https://habartm.org/archives/7102 [Accessed 15 Apr. 2018].