Tukhtamurodov, Bobirjon
Who, Why and How exiled: An Uzbek Muslim who moved to Russia (date unknown) and reads the work of late Turkish theologian Said Nursi, which is banned in Russia (Corley, 2014).
Stage 1 details (accusations/ charges/ Interpol notice/ extradition requests): Bukhara City Court ordered Bobirjon Tukhtamurodov's arrest on 22 April 2010 for alleged membership of a religious "extremist" organisation Nurjular (Muslims who read the works of the late Turkish Muslim theologian Said Nursi) and distributing religious "extremist" materials. He was accused under Uzbek Criminal Code Article 244-1, Part 3a and Article 244-2, Part 1. Unable to find Bobirjon Tukhtamurodov, the Uzbek authorities sought his arrest internationally (Corley, 2016).
Stage 2 details (arrest/ detention/ extradition): Arrested in Novosibirsk (Russia) in August 2010 after an extradition request from Uzbekistan was received. The General Prosecutor's Office in Moscow agreed to the extradition in November 2010 but a regional court overturned the ruling in March 2011. The Supreme Court upheld this cancellation in May 2011 (Corley, 2014).
Other actions during Stages 1–3 (dispossession/ overseas assets frozen/ intimidation/ action against associates/ …): In 2015, his brother, Botir Tukhtamurodov, had his term of imprisonment extended. The authorities sentenced him to an extra three years' imprisonment in labour camp, fellow Muslims told Forum 18. Forum 18 has been unable to find out when or where Botir Tukhtamurodov was tried and given a further sentence, or what Criminal Code Article he was sentenced under. ( Corley, 2016).
Legal status (refugee/ asylum seeker/ resident): Applied for refugee status in Russia but not accepted. He received temporary refugee status but was then refused an extension in 2013 ( Corley, 2016).
Current status: Living in Russia awaiting a ECtHR appeal regarding his asylum status (Corley, 2014; Newsland, 2011). Bobirjon Tukhtamurodov appealed to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strasbourg to protect himself from extradition to Uzbekistan, fearing that he would face torture if returned there (Application No. 21762/14). The Court told Russia in March 2014 that he "should not be expelled or otherwise involuntarily removed from Russia to Uzbekistan or another country" while his case there was considered (Corley, 2016). Officials told Botir Tukhtamurodov and his relatives that he will not be freed until the authorities get back his brother Bobirjon Tukhtamurodov from Russia, where he sought refuge in January 2010 ( Corley, 2016).
Press sources: Felix Corley, "The long arm of the Uzbek State," in A. Hug (ed.), Shelter from the Storm: The Asylum, Refuge and Extradition Situation Facing Activists from the Former Soviet Union in the CIS and Europe, London, The Foreign Policy Centre, 2014, pp. 27-32. Felix Corley, "Uzbekistan: "This is absurd – he wouldn't have fought with anyone, still less on his last day", Forum 18, 16 February 2016, available at: http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2148&printer=Y Newsland "Отменено возвращение двух беженцев в Ташкент", 31 March, 2011. [Online]. Available at: https://newsland.com/user/4297667957/content/otmeneno-vozvrashchenie-dvukh-bezhentsev-v-tashkent/4154803