A rally was held in Paris against the extradition from Europe to Russia of Chechen refugees Muslim Tsintsaev and Selima Khadisova, who were arrested in France and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Representatives of the diaspora and human rights organizations are speaking out against their expulsion, demanding that their fellow countrymen be granted international protection.
The organizer of the rally in Paris was the Ichkerian movement “United Force” based in Europe. Representatives of the “Memorial – France” association and the anti-war organization Russie-Libertés also took part in the action, the organizer of the event, the head of “United Force” Dzhambulat Suleimanov, told a correspondent of the Kavkaz.Realii website.
“We had to hold the event on a working day to submit the resolution to the Bosnian embassy. Many representatives of the diaspora are busy at work on weekdays, so only 30 people came. Among them were relatives and friends of those detained,” the source said.
Muslim Tsintsaev, 25, left Chechnya after the start of a full-scale war in Ukraine and was detained in France in June 2024. In his home country, the young man faces charges under the “terrorist” article, and he is on the international wanted list. Tsintsaev cites his anti-war position as the reason for the persecution. He remains in a deportation prison awaiting a decision on extradition.
Mother of many children Selim Khadisova arrived in Bosnia and Herzegovina from Turkey in September and was detained at the airport together with her children. She is also accused by Russian security forces of helping militants and denies guilt, she is threatened with extradition at the request of Interpol. The website Kavkaz.Realii previously reported Khadisova’s story in detail.
On November 18, rallies against Tsintsaev’s deportation were held in front of the French embassies in Vienna and Brussels. Those gathered declared that Russia is a terrorist state where a refugee can expect torture. On 29 October, a rally in support of Khadisova was also held in Austria.
- In January 2024, the human rights organization Amnesty International called on the EU not to extradite refugees from the North Caucasus to Russia, as they risk torture or being sent to war in Ukraine.
- In recent years, France has deported dozens of Chechen refugees, including those who had previously fought for the republic’s independence or had already suffered under the regime of Ramzan Kadyrov, ignoring the risks they face in Russia, according to representatives of the Comité Tchétchénie and Habitat-Cité. The exact number is unknown: they only know of cases where relatives of deportees have approached them.
