한 체첸 남성이 우크라이나 정부에 의해 러시아로 강제 송환될 위험에 놓여있다. 러시아로 송환된 이후에는 고문과 기타 심각한 인권 침해가 우려되는 상황이다.
그의 이름은 아마드 차타에브(Ahmed Chataev). 2000년 체첸 전쟁 중에 부상을 당했다. 병원에 옮겨지기 전에 러시아 군대에 넘겨졌고, 구금된 상태에서 전기 충격 등의 고문을 받았다.
부상은 날로 심해져, 그는 결국 팔 한쪽을 잃었다.
이후 차타에브는 가족과 함께 아제르바이잔을 통해 오스트리아로 건너갔다. 2003년 11월 24일 오스트리아에서 난민 지위를 인정받았고, 그곳에서 가족들과 살아왔다. 이번에 체포될 당시 그는 정식으로 비자를 발급 받아서 우크라이나를 방문 중이었다.
국제앰네스티는 이와 관련해 우크라이나가 1951년 난민 지위에 관한 협약의 당사국임을 강조하면서, 고문 등 심각한 인권침해가 우려되는 곳으로 난민이나 비호신청인들을 송환해서는 안 된다고 우크라이나 정부에 목소리를 높이고 있다. ■
Ukraine must not forcibly extradite Chechen man to Russia
Amnesty International has urged the Ukrainian authorities not to extradite to Russia a Chechen refugee amid fears he would be at risk of torture and other grave human rights violations.
Ahmed Chataev, who had reportedly been tortured by Russian forces after he was detained in Chechnya during fighting in 2000, was visiting Ukraine with a valid visa when he was detained by police on 3 January.
Amnesty International’s research into previous comparable cases suggests the charges could be related to allegations of terrorism.
Many Chechen men have allegedly been tortured and ill-treated by the Russian security forces to extract “confessions”.
Amnesty International and other human rights organizations working in the region are concerned that many Chechens in the Russian Federation have been charged with crimes such as participating in illegal armed groups or acts of terrorism on the basis of “confessions” extracted under torture.
The organization has also accused Ukraine of repeatedly violating the rights of refugees and asylum-seekers, in breach of its obligations under international human rights and refugee law.
The authorities made several attempts to forcibly return Lema Susarov, an ethnic Chechen, to Russia, even though he was recognized as a refugee by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and would have been at risk of torture if returned. He was released in July 2008 and allowed to take up an offer of asylum in Finland.
Most recently, on 28 November, Ukraine deported eight Afghan nationals to Dubai. The group of three adults and five children aged between three and 15 years tried to join a family member granted refugee status in the UK Ahmed Chataev was granted refugee status in Austria on 24 November 2003 and has lived there for several years with his wife and three children, a 4-year old girl, a 5-year-old boy, both born in Austria, and a 7-year-old boy born in Chechnya. Ahmed Chataev’s wife will give birth to another child in August.
He was wounded in the arm and stomach during fighting in Urus Martan in Chechnya in 2000, but before he could be taken to hospital he fell into the hands of Russian forces.
He was reportedly subjected to torture including electric shocks despite being very badly wounded. His arm was subsequently amputated. He and his family then fled to Austria via Azerbaijan.
Amnesty International has reminded the Ukrainian authorities that as a state party to the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, they must not forcefully return refugees or asylum-seekers to any country where they would face a serious risk of the death penalty, torture or other grave human rights abuses.
