Malyshevs Disappeared 107


Mikel and Nina Malyshev were deported back to Uzbekistan on Friday evening. At 6am Saturday morning they telephoned relatives and said that they were met in Tashkent at the plane steps by a representative of the British Embassy, who escorted them from the airport, bypassing passport control and security checks. They were about to be put on a bus to their former home in Zarafshan.

But they never arrived in Zarafshan and there has been no word of them since. The British Embassy say categorically they did not send any representative to meet the plane. That fake British Embassy representative was almost certainly from the Uzbek security services.

I gave written evidence to their asylum appeal stating that any returned asylum seeker would be picked up by the security services at the airport and be in extreme danger. The Home Office told the court this was not true and there were no human rights problems in Uzbekistan. The court accepted the Home Office view.

Having callously deported the Malyshevs to join the lists of the “disappeared” in Uzbekistan, the British government now repudiates any further interest in their fate. The British Embassy in Tashkent has told their relatives in Wales that they are Uzbeks in Uzbekistan and not their responsibility.

The truth is the British government knew perfectly well what would happen to the Malyshevs, and was lying to the court in saying that this would not happen. The coldblooded brutality of the government’s behaviour is stunning. President Karimov’s support for NATO operations in Afghanistan is placed at a far higher value than human life.


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107 thoughts on “Malyshevs Disappeared

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  • Canspeccy

    Arsalan makes a valid point, which suggests that if heat is to be applied, it should in the first place be directed at the seat of David Cameron’s pants. Cameron no longer has the Malyshevs in his grasp and can, therefore, do them no direct harm, but he must have some influence with the Uzbek government, which might be used to the Malyshevs’ benefit.

  • Komodo

    Which (Canspeccy) raises another problem. The current climate in government is to exercise power without taking responsibility. The latest example being Liam Fox, You can’t get to Cameron, or anywhere near him, by any method of communication known to man if he doesn’t want you to. And if it is likely to result in his saying “As Prime Minister, I am ultimately responsible for the actions of those acting in the Government’s name”, he doesn’t want you to.

    The buck doesn’t stop there. The buck has wandered off into the procedural woods and been shot, deniably, some distance from Cam.

  • Komodo

    “It is noticeable that, since the current British government came to power, no government minister or official, nor the British Ambassador to Uzbekistan, has made a single reference to Uzbekistan’s terrible human rights abuses, including over 10,000 political prisoners, absolutely no free media or assembly, banning of all opposition parties, millions of children used as forced slave labour and torture and extra-judicial killing on a massive scale.”
    .
    As Uzbekistan is the world’s eighth largest natural gas producer and is run by a psychopath, why are our brave boys not at this moment launching Paveways at it from their Tornadoes?
    .
    You’re missing a trick there, Hague.

  • Vronsky

    “Is it just me, or is there something sickening about the way in which the violent death of another human being (Gaddafi) is being treated as a joke by the media?”
    .
    Uh – it’s just you. Nobody else looks at the media. If you stick your hand down the toilet, please don’t come along here complaining of sticky fingers.
    .
    @Craig
    “The vast majority of them were already criminals.”
    .
    Yup, true. Oh shit – did I forget to post here about crime being politically defined? Solution to the prison problem: stop walling in the poor – wall in the rich (fewer of ’em, so needs less concrete and razor wire). That’s the American solution, arriving here as we speak.
    .
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gated_community

  • anno

    Komodo
    Better than the the odious TB who said he took full responsibility for the Iraq war or Chemical Ali who said ‘Praise God ‘ when accused of genocide. The escape clause of the politician who is found guilty of criminal activity is to bluff that they know a higher motive which justifies their crime.
    In my opinion politics is all about self, never about causes.
    The motive for gaining power is to increase the person’s wealth, respect, etc. So they conceal their drive for attention under a mask of national security, economic interest, or with Chemical Ali raw Arab nationalism.
    The politician doesn’t care if they feed their narcissism (sounds like narcotic, and rather similar because it involves addiction) with praise or accusations of crime. They can exude confidence with that fix of attention, like a heroine addict stops shaking with a few atoms of heroine.
    Why do we think of politicians as invulnerable when they are so obviously addicts? Cameron has just jointly smashed a 6 million people country and its regime. Snort snort, should keep him going for a couple of weeks one would have thought?

  • Ron

    I think it would be helpful to have a little background info about this case. Otherwise we’re running around like headless chickens. What if my MP rings me to discuss the case, and asks me questions about it? All I know is a couple of names. I’ll sound like an idiot. Who are they? Why were they claiming asylum? Were they politically active in Uzbekistan? Are there no documents, perhaps court documents, that can be posted, or quoted here? You’re asking us to be advocates but giving us no information.

  • Arsalan

    Canspeccy
    My point was Cameron is a Zionist puppet. I don’t believe for one second that Liam Fox is the only politician who got his funding(orders) from Israel.
    I believe the likes of Cameron will defend Zionism, and fellow Zionists like Karimov more than he defends his own throne.
    His likes see the loss of his own leadership as a price worth paying, when it comes to services rendered to Israel and Zionism.
    That is what the Conservative friends of Israel are all about. UK elected politicians who pledge their loyalty to Zionism above the people who elected them.

    So what do I believe is the solution?
    The way to help them.
    I have stated it is not through the British(Zionist) Government.
    The way is to aid the Uzbeks against Karimov.
    If you don’t know how to aid them, or what aid they want from you.
    Ask them?
    Stop thinking the white man knows best on how to help weak needy brown people.
    And ask them what they want us to do to help them?

  • Suhayl Saadi

    “Uzbeks in trouble with the Uzbek government might do well to avoid publicly associating with you” Can Speccy.
    .
    Alfred, might that be construed that a (politely) veiled threat to “Uzbeks in trouble with the Uzbek government” to not associate with Craig (since I am of no relevance in this situation)?
    .
    (Not) Your Humble and Obedient Servant,
    Suhayl Saadi
    .
    Nonetheless, as Komodo suggests, whatever works.
    .
    Ron makes a good point.

  • Ron

    I’m a bit annoyed with Hague and May. I’ve written to their predecessors in the past, and always had replies from the FCO, from which it was clear that my letters had been read. The replies were dishonest, inadequate and insulting, but at least someone had read the damn letters. The Home Office has a patchier record (as I recall it usually took them about four months to reply in the days of snail mail), but at least their replies addressed my letters after a fashion.

    Who the fuck does William Hague think he is? Is he too busy getting handy with Seb Coe to run his department properly? Or going to fake charity dinners? Or sticking pins in a map to decide which country’s people he’s going to massacre next?

  • Arsalan

    I think Uzbeks and non-Uzbeks should do exactly what the Uzbek government(and their fellow Zionists in the British government) doesn’t want them to do. Makes lots and lots of noise.
    And shout and scream about the oppression in Uzbekistan.

    I state again, that the Uzbek change must be led by Uzbeks.
    We should be there for them, not the other way around.
    We should aid them in what ever way we can. But that is them telling us what they want us to do. Not the other way around.

  • John Goss

    Chienfou, I notice that Crab and Conjunction have written to their MPs and not got a reply. You suggest using WriteToThem.com and I used this site to write to my MP, Steve McCabe, to raise the Malyshev concerns with Theresa May and William Hague. Like Crab I never got a reply. This is surprising because I nearly always get a reply from him (except over Menwith Hill). I have since written directly to him (last night) and got a standard reply that he will get back, which he normally does. I am worried about this WriteToThem.com site whether messages are getting through. A further concern is that you do not have a record of what you have sent. There could be a reason for not getting a reply, like MPs do not check messages from this site, or some authority has editorial rights to restrict emails (nothing would surprise me), or because it is not their constituency they do not think it worth their time.
    .
    My advice would be not to use WriteToThem.com but to check out MPs’ email addresses and write directly from your own email, at least until we know why people are not getting a response. That way you will have a copy of your email too.

  • Komodo

    Also worthwhile checking the small print of the MP’s correspondence requirements. He will probably want your address. (Which is why my MP will say I am still waiting for his reply to my enquiry re. the funding of the various Parliamentary Friends of Israel…he’d probably like my bank details as well…)

  • ingo

    I’m gutted, two more victims of our secret rendition programme, still in full use so its seems.
    Can we now expect that Alisher Usmanov will be arrested and deported from his west end penthouse?
    I also have written via write to them and received no reply. It is the easy issue, like forrest privatisation,. were I received an almost instant response, with human rights issues its always late or does not happen.
    I shall write to him today with a thank you for nothing letter, telling him that his inaction will most likely mean that the Nina and Mikel will get imprisoned and tortured. A bunch of self interested fascists in lieu with anyone whop accepts their agenda.

  • craig Post author

    Ron,

    Uzbekistan’s people are locked in. They have an exit visa system and mined and wired borders and demolished border bridges. To keep people in, not to keep people out. The proper comparison of the Malyshevs is to people who got out of East Berlin. They weren’t asked what evidence of political activity they had in their home country.

  • Uzbek in the UK

    Canspessy,
    .
    Why should it be relevant now how Malyshevs got to the UK and what did they do in Uzbekistan before coming here? These people have been picked up by Uzbek security services and disappeared. Is this not bad enough for you? What else do you want as a proof that Uzbekistan is dangerous state (not nation but state) and everyone who is sent back there forcibly is facing at least a prison? Have you heard what happened in Andijan in May 2005? Have you heard about Nazi style prison called Jaslyk? Have you heard that people who disagree with government or those who somehow angers government officials are put into a prison or/and tortured?

  • Uzbek in the UK

    Komodo,
    .
    Wondering why Hague and gang do not send Tornados to bomb Karimov demonstrates a bit of lack of knowledge when it comes to the issues of Central Asia. Uzbekistan is in Central Asia and not in the Middle East of North Africa. Central Asia is close to Afghanistan and is also literally between Russia, China and Iran. Karimov is (at present) loyal servant of Washington hawks and London Hedge Funds. Why on earth do you think that someone can even think of starting regime chance there? There are or better to say were some in Washington who want/wanted to replace Karimov but nor Russia or China will allow this without having a fight (diplomatic at least). Forcibly changing regime in such a weak state like Uzbekistan is a big risk that might lead to further spread of militant Islam and this will make everyone (China, Russia, EU,US) nuts.

  • Uzbek in the UK

    Ingo,
    .
    First: Alisher Usmanov is Russian citizen although of Uzbek origin. Second: He has invested millions if not billions into the UK economy and deporting him would be like killing a hen that produces golden eggs.
    .
    Britain is virtually open for all these Usmanov alike who bring money into the economy and British authorities do not even question where those money originated from. There are certain rules though. For example one cannot be involved in high profile crimes against humanity but if one is making money from those crimes but staying in the shadow of those who are committing crimes then one is very welcome in the UK. For example: I guess it would be quite difficult for Karimov himself to settle in the UK if he decides to quit his presidential throne. But at the same time I see no problem for Gulnara Karimova (Karimov’s glamour daughter) to settle in the UK and she might do so in future. And in fact as Mr Murray pointed out once some of her billions are already openly exchanged in the stock markets in London via some Hedge Funds. Not for nothing she is quite good friend of Nat Rothschild.

  • mary

    1
    .
    Alisher Usmanov, 56
    Industry and football
    £4.7 billion (NEW)
    .
    the richest man in Surrey, Alisher Usmanov is best-known as the owner of a 26 per cent stake in Premiership football club Arsenal.
    .
    An Uzbek billionaire several times over, his stake is worth £149m, but that’s small change for Usmanov, who also owns the Tudor mansion at Sutton Place outside Guildford, with its surrounding 300 acres, which used to belong to oil tycoon Paul Getty.
    .
    A self-confessed ‘Gooner’, Usmanov says: “My love for Arsenal is like that of a man for a woman. It is not something you can sell.”
    .
    The son of a former state prosecutor in Tashkent, Usmanov became rich through steel and iron ore mines, which are at the core of his fortune. He owns half of Metalloinvest, Russia’s biggest iron ore miner, which is reported to be looking to float on the stock market with a valuation of up to £12 billion. Usmanov has made further investments in media, telecoms and banking, too.
    .
    The owner of a brand-new £110m yacht, which will be named Dilbar (after his mother), Usmanov also owns a £48m mansion in north London, and in September 2007 he splashed out £20m to buy the art collection of the late cellist Mstislav Rostropovich for a state museum.
    .
    Altogether, he is easily worth £4.7 billion right now, making him the 100th richest person on the planet and the wealthiest in Surrey by some way!
    +++++
    A near neighbour but thankfully not an acquaintance. Boot him out. Wonder if he pays any UK tax.

    http://surrey.greatbritishlife.co.uk/article/surreys-richest-50-2010–the-top-ten-22635/

  • Jon

    @JohnGoss, @all – if you don’t get a reply to a communication to your MP, it is best to assume it did not get to them. Ring their office and ask if they received it. If they have received it, ask when you can expect a reply – they have to, as far as I know.

  • ingo

    Thanks for that Mary and Uzbek in the UK. What was Alisher doing during the cold war years? A hard working miner who rose to prominenece within his union and who was entrusted with re-organising these wealth into his own pockets? Working hard to earn a living? sorry only joking, how come he could amass such influence with Putins men, what else did he trade in apart from metals?

    By inviting these dubious oligarchs into the country for their wealth, we are also attarcting the wrath of those they have wronged. I suppose this is were the FCO and Home office come into, by helping to deport those who could possibly be hard cheese to te criminals who settle here.

    What fine neighbours you keep Mary 🙂

  • Reply from Andrew Bingham MP

    Dear ______

    Thank you for your e-mail. We will make some enquiries and see what we can find out for you.

    Best wishes
    Caroline Ready
    Office Manager for Andrew Bingham MP

  • Uzbek in the UK

    Ingo,
    .
    Usmanov was in prison for sometimes (just over a year I believe) for allegedly blackmailing someone but he was pardoned as soon as Karimov felt that he was able to do so without consulting Moscow. Usmanov’s official biography portraits him as that he was political prisoner who was imprisoned by KGB during so called ‘cotton case’ it is when KGB was clearing up Central Asian republics and Uzbekistan in particular from influence of clans and Mafia. It is believed that Uzbek Mafia was the most influential in the Soviet Union since beginning of 1980th. But in fact Usmanov was imprisoned for petty crime as having influential father made him believe that he is untouchable but he has chosen wrong time to commit his crime.
    .
    Since he belongs to the influential Tashkent clan he after being pardoned started to participate in so called privatisation that occurred after the collapse of the USSR. It was time when industries were sold for pennies and Usmanov having right connections have made right investments that now brings him his fortune.
    .
    Some say that he is only a smoke screen for those who really owns businesses by his name. Some believe that he like few other Russian oligarchs are involved in money laundering and also investing laundered money that really belongs to high ranking Russian officials.
    .
    Usmanov is also valuable to Putin as he unlike some other oligarchs has never made any claims to political influence. Usmanov keeps himself distant from so called groups of interests in Russian inside circles and he serves any master without preference. He has particularly well based connections in Russian giant Gazprom that Putin quickly took under his personal patronage.

  • wendy

    “My point was Cameron is a Zionist puppet.”
    .
    .
    thats a gross misrepresentation of cameron, he is no puppet but is a zionist and he states (on record)there is none greater than he, as did blair and brown as it happens.
    .
    as we do know that 80% of the tories are friends of israel members and there are similar numbers across other parties.
    .
    blair was no puppet or pooodle he actually believed in that which existed in his head…cameron is no different. however the probblem is theresa may who makes cameron and blair look like choir boys.
    .

  • wendy

    interesting aside .. negropontes student ford has just been recalled back to the usa from syria. (last time the us recalled its ambassador was soon after the bombing of hariri).
    .
    and negropontes skill was to create the black ops, the death squads in south america .. and more recently in iraq .. undoubtedly the same game is being played in syria.
    .
    so the question has to be when will the turks create the conditions for nato intervention , this all whilst the us/uk/israel/turks are funding arming the syrian militia/opposition.

  • Gary

    You should see the amount of money that the Karimov’s are laundering through western banks. Unfortunately the UK is in full knowledge of this.

  • Komodo

    @ Uzbek…

    I was being facetious. Perhaps not in the best of taste, if not, I apologise. However, to take myself seriously for a moment, you will see from this map that the US and its loyal NATO allies could very easily deploy into Uzbekistan, and indeed the US has at least one base there already. It’s not going to happen, though, for the other reasons you state. Agreed.
    .
    http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/trade.center/military.map.html
    .
    Though Gaddafi had every reason to suppose, in recent years, that it was not going to happen to him either.

  • Uzbek in the UK

    Komodo,
    .
    No offence is taken. I suspected that you were rather sarcastic towards Mr Hague and gang then serious.
    .
    It is true that US had military base in Uzbekistan and will have it again for a while. But their stance in Central Asia and in Uzbekistan in particular to a large extend depends on a good will of both Russia and China. For example one cannot compare the level of intelligence that Russia has in Central Asia to the one of CIA. Although Uzbekistan seems to be (at present) pro American there are to a certain extend very influential pro Russian forces in Uzbekistan and particularly amongst security services.
    .
    Also comparing fall of Gaddafi to Karimov’s position I think is a bit irrelevant. Even if Karimov is replaced (theoretically) and there are pro American regimes in whole Central Asia there is no way that US can use Central Asian gas and oil resources without Russian support which will never happen as Russia itself uses its influence in Central Asia as obstacle to any alternative gas and oil pipes that will bypass Russia.
    .
    My projection is that Central Asia will in short term be a ground of Great Game between US and China-Russia. And in long term China will eventually spread its influence in the region to an extend that US will have no other alternative as to accept Chinese dominance in Central Asia. Chinese dominance is not something that even Central Asians autocratic regimes are happy about but geographical proximity and natural resources and growing Chinese economy and geopolitical influence is something that will in long term make Central Asia Chinese backyard.

  • John Goss

    Jon, thanks for advice. Steve McCabe has just got back to me and I think he will try and do someting. He thanked me for driecting him to this story.

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