Ministry of Justice Does not Release Public Information about the Conditions of the Prisoner Extradited to the Russian Federation

Human Rights Center calls on the Minister of Justice of Georgia to provide the organization and society with the public information about the prison conditions and health state of Ramzan Akhyadov, the prisoner, who was extradited to the Russian Federation on September 19, 2019. 

 

At the same time, it is significant that the Minister of Justice of Georgia presented the documentation proving the execution of so-called guarantees by the Russian Federation, as it was declared to the Government of Georgia. 

 

Ramzan Akhyadov is a citizen of Chechen Republic. Since 2016, he, together with his family, lived and carried out entrepreneurship activities in Georgia. Ramzan Akhyadov was arrested and extradited to Russia as he was sought by the Russian Federation under the charge of having connection with the Islam State.

 

Human Rights Center and other civil society organizations called on the Government of Georgia not to extradite Akhyadov to the Russian Federation, because, he as ethnic Chechen, faced real threat of torture and inhuman treatment in the prisons of Russia. Regardless the protest, the Government of Georgia extradited him to Russia on September 19, 2019.

 

Before the extradition, the Minister of Justice of Georgia Thea Tsulukiani said: “We received written guarantees from the Russian Federation that regardless very grave charges brought against him, we should agree on extradition if he is placed in human conditions and no threats prohibited by the national or European Convention will be imposed on him…””There is no ground, as it is stipulated by the Case Law of the ECtHR, to cast any doubts over the guarantees declared by the office of prosecutor general of Russia. Of course, we will continue monitoring how the Russian Federation will execute the guarantees and will continue fight against terrorism together with our partner institutions…” 

 

On October 8, 2019, Human Rights Center petitioned the Minister of Justice to provide public information whether the Ministry monitored, as promised, how the Russian Federation executes the guarantees declared in relation with Ramzan Akhyadov.

 

The Minister did not release the requested information within 10 days, as it is required by the law, on October 22, 2019 and the HRC repeatedly petitioned the Ministry to provide the following information: has the Ministry of Justice of Georgia requested the Russian Federation information about the conditions of Ramzan Akhyadov in the prison establishment of Chechen Republic and how the Russian Federation follows the declared legal guarantees. The Minister again violated the 10-day term of releasing the requested public information.

 

In accordance to the Article 38 of the General Administrative Code of Georgia, the public institutions shall be obliged to ensure availability of copies of public information. In accordance to the Article 40 of the same law, a public institution shall be obliged to issue public information, including the public information requested electronically, immediately or not later than 10 days. The Ministry and Minister of Justice has not answered any letters and violated the Articles 37, 38 and 40 of the General Administrative Code of Georgia. 

 

Human Rights Center calls on the Minister of Justice, due to high public interest, timely release the public information and provide the society with the information about the promised monitoring results.