Khadziev, Annadurdy
Who, Why and How exiled: Annadurdy Khadzhiev is the exiled leader of the opposition Watan (Fatherland) Party, of Turkmenistan and the former deputy chair of the central-bank of Turkmenistan. Khadzhiev fled to Bulgaria in 2001, to avoid torture and imprisonment in his homeland (Amnesty International, 2007; ECHRC, 2014).
Stage 1 details (accusations/ charges/ Interpol notice/ extradition requests): Two formal requests for extradition have been made by Turkmen authorities via Interpol. The first came in 2002 when Turkmen authorities accused Khadziev of embezzling $41m from the Central Bank of Turkmenistan during his time there. This request was rejected by the Bulgarian authorities. A second extradition request was then made in April 2007 for the same charges, which was rejected by the district courts in Varna, then also rejected by the Varna Court of Appeal in May (Amnesty International, 2007).
Stage 2 details (arrest/ detention/ extradition): When extradition requests were made by Turkmen authorities in 2002 and 2007, Khadzhiev was detained without charges by Bulgarian authorities on both occasions, with his release coming after both extradition requests were refused (Amnesty International, 2007). Khadzhiev argued this imprisonment was unlawful, but in 2014 the European Court of Human Rights judged the Bulgarian authorities were within their legal right to detain him pending a decision on the extradition request (ECHR, 2014).
Other actions during Stages 1–3 (dispossession/ overseas assets frozen/ intimidation/ action against associates/ …): Due to the political activity of Khadzhiev in opposition to the administration of Turkmenistan, members of Khadzhiev's family were subject to intimidation and prosecution (Amnesty International, 2007). In 2002, the President of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov, ordered the imprisonment of all of Khadzhiev's relatives (Freedom Now, 2011). In 2006, his sister, who was a member of the group Turkmenistan Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Ogulsapar Muradova, died whilst in the custody of the Turkmen authorities, under suspicious circumstances (Amnesty International, 2007,). The United Nations Human Rights Council have found the government of Turkmenistan responsible for Muradova's death (HRW, 2018).
Legal status (refugee/ asylum seeker/ resident): Granted "Humanitarian Stautus" in Bulgaria in 2004 (ECHR, 2014).
Current status: Residing and working in Bulgaria (ECHR, 2014).
Press sources: Amnesty International (2007). Bulgaria: Further Information on Torture/Legal Concern: Annadurdy Khadzhiev. [online] Amnesty.org. Available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur15/002/2007/en/ [Accessed 28 Feb. 2018]. Amnesty International (2007). Bulgaria: Torture/Legal Concern: Annadurdy Khadzhiev (M). [online] Amnesty.org. Available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur15/001/2007/en/ [Accessed 17 Feb. 2018]. Freedom Now (2018). Freedom Now- Communication to the Committee Against Torture Turkmenistan Session. [online] Available at: http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CAT/Shared%20Documents/TKM/INT_CAT_NGO_TKM_46_10144_E.pdf [Accessed 17 Feb. 2018]. HRW (2019). Turkmentistan: UN Blames Government for Activist's Death. [online]. Available at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/08/09/turkmenistan-un-blames-government-activists-death [Accessed 9 Aug. 2018].
Legal sources: Khadzhiev V Bulgaria [2014] 44330/07 (European Court of Human Rights).