It is five days now since Nina and Mikel Malyshev were “disappeared” – I have no doubt by the Uzbek security services – during their deportation to Uzbekistan by the UK Border Agency.
I had hoped that they would be detained for a couple of days and then released after signing a confession that they had been misled by evil people like me and that President Karimov was the great father of his nation. But unfortunately this is now looking far more sinister, particularly as we know that they were taken past passport control at the airport without their arrival being registered. I fear they may have simply disappeared forever and the Uzbek government will deny all knowledge they ever arrived.
The British government denies all responsibility. This from the UK border agency, who sent them back to Karimov:
“These individuals were removed on Friday after they refused to leave voluntarily. “The UK Border Agency carefully considered their cases and several different judges agreed in the courts that they did not need the UK’s protection.”
The British Embassy in Tashkent have told the family they have no responsibility for the Malyshevs.
The UK Border Agency deported the Malyshevs on 21 October. At 6am on 22 October they phoned their relatives in Port Talbot to say that they were alright, they had been met at the plane by a representative of the British Embassy and escorted through the airport, bypassing passport control, security checks and customs. They expected to be put on a bus to their former home in Zarafshan. They never arrived in Zarafshan and have disappeared. The British Embassy say they did not send anybody to the airport to meet them.
The fake British official was without doubt from the Uzbek security services. Nobody else could get airside at Tashkent – including, incidentally, the British Embassy who do not have airside access.
I gave written evidence to the Malyshevs’ asylum appeal. I specifically stated that if deported the Malyshevs would be picked up at the airport by the security services. The Home Office stated this was not true, and my knowledge was out of date.
It is not acceptable for the British government knowingly to deport people to probable torture in Uzbekistan, and then refuse to find out what happens to them. The government refuses to check up on the Malyshevs’ fate partly because it does not care what happens to them, and partly because it wants to continue to claim there is no problem and continue to deport others to Karimov.
Please raise this with any group you know, and get as many people as possible to write to their MPs. Amnesty members try to get them involved. Please repost this as widely as possible on the web. The Malyshevs may still be alive in a cell or gulag. We need to find them.
UPDATE
Mikel Malyshev has just phoned his sister – so the good news is that he is alive. But he did not appear able to talk freely and when asked if he was OK replied “Yes and No”. He was not alone – other voices could be heard – and seemed very nervous. He was not with Nina and could or would not say where she was.
“At 6am on 22 October they phoned their relatives in Port Talbot to say that they were alright, they had been met at the plane by a representative of the British Embassy and escorted through the airport, bypassing passport control, security checks and customs. They expected to be put on a bus to their former home in Zarafshan.” — Craig
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“The good news (of Mikel having been able to phone his sister in the UK) is balanced by the worrying signs that both he and Nina are being held under official Uzbek constraints.” — Iain Orr
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I had assumed this phonecall was made under duress, when they were in custody. Any strain in the voice might have been explained away by relatives as tiredness, stress.
Iain,
I think your suggestions are good, though unfortunately in my view the Malyshevs had not the most pro-active legal representation. It seems to me our best leverage is that the Home Office will be thinking that, unless the Malyshevs are produced live and well, it will be difficult for the courts to order further deportations (at least three others are in the pipeline).
The outcome we want is for the Malyshevs to come out of this safe and well. If that means they sign a declaration saying Karimov is great, they were mistaken, and nothing happened at the airport, I really don’t mind, unless that is then used by the Home Office against other refugees. The danger of course is what happens to the Malyshevs after everyone has stopped looking.
The dreadful Theresa May’s operatives in an Immigration Tribunal have been doing her dirty work again.
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http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/57161/salah-loses-deportation-case
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A Home Office spokesman said: “We are pleased the court agrees Sheikh Salah’s removal would be conducive to the public good and that he has engaged in unacceptable behaviour. We will seek to deport him at the earliest opportunity.”
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Sheikh Salah, the leader of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, was detained in London in June after entering despite Mrs May imposing the banning order.
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The tribunal ruled that a poem, said to be antisemitic and written by Sheikh Salah, was not racist and was not “directed at the Jewish people as a whole”.
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In its judgment the tribunal acknowledged that Sheikh Salah had “behaved lawfully throughout this matter, and that he has been the victim of unfairness and procedural irregularity…and was detained unlawfully for a period of time”.
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Well it is very good news that Mikel was able to call that proves that he is still alive. Although it is worrying that we still do not know the same about Nina. No doubts that this article and its multiplications on various web sites forced SNB to allow a phone call to Mikel. This is a sign that we need to continue demanding UK authority’s interference as deporting Malyshevs on assurance that they will be safe back in Uzbekistan they are in part responsible for their safety.
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This SNB behaviour pretty much reminds me of KGB behaviour during the Cold War. Allowing Malyshev to call SNB confirmed that he is still alive and that we stop claiming that he might be dead (it is in very rare circumstances when detainees in Uzbek and particularly those who were detained for intergovernmental charges are allowed a phone call). I only wish they do the same with Nina and allowed her to confirm that she is too well.
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We should continue pressuring UK authorities to intervene and demand from Uzbek authorities to at least press charges against Malyshevs (if there are any grounds) and take this case to the Uzbek court. Uzbek courts of course are 100% corrupt and in cases related to antigovernment activities they only issue guilty verdicts. But at least if Malyshevs’ case is tried before court Malyshevs will be safe and will not disappear. This will also give grounds to demand their pardoning as they have not in fact been involved in any antigovernment activities.
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Do not take me wrong here as I not only believe but know that Malyshevs must be freed immediately but under current circumstances ball is on Uzbek authorities side and all we can do now is play the game they are forcing us to play (also apologies for such insensitive comparison).
Pre-emptive piece on R4 this morning – shock horror, Border Agency failing to deport convicted criminal immigrants!
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15467480
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All the same, these damned foreigners, you know.
No reply to mine to the Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights; any luck, Iain?
I’m not his constituent, of course, so it probably got deleted without reading.
Sorry for the off topic although it somehow related to the raised issues.
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Today one of Michael Khodorkovsky’s former cellmates requested asylum via British Embassy in Moscow. For those of you who is not aware Khodorkovsky is former Russian oligarch once the richest man in Russia who was imprisoned for tax avoidance and some claim that his prison sentence was in fact due to his support for opposition in Russia. He is considered to be Putin’s enemy number 2, after Berezovsky.
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So his former cellmate requested asylum in the UK on the grounds that he was forced by the Russian authorities to stab Khodorkovsky in the prison cell.
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Lets see how this turns out.
‘shock horror, Border Agency failing to deport convicted criminal immigrants!’
Compare & contrast the inefficiency with which UKBA & the Courts deal with the removal of convicted felons, and the alacrity with which they have returned to unfortunate Malyshevs to their uncertain, and potentially highly dangerous, fate.
Geopolitical considerations, these contrasting scenarios suggest, trump what is supposedly the prime responsibility of government, namely, the public safety of the citizens they tax & govern.
It must have been comforting for Mikel’s daughter to get a telephone call from him, but no mention of her mother must be terribly distressing for her. Hague and May are grossly culpable in not paying attention to the warnings. I emailed the UK Border Agency to say something along those lines but this time there has been no response, as of yet. Soon I will contact my MP again to see if he has spoken yet to either of the culpable ministers.
Further to my post above about the deportation of Sheikh Raed Salah. The Israeli Embassy in London was involved needless to say.
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‘The judgment that Salah could be deported for “unacceptable behavior” comes as The Electronic Intifada reveals new details of the Israeli role in Salah’s June-July detention by the UK government. Government emails obtained by The Electronic Intifada contain evidence that the Israeli embassy in London gave information to the British government later used in an attempt to deport him from the country.’
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http://electronicintifada.net/content/exclusive-leaked-emails-show-israel-role-uk-plot-ban-raed-salah/10527#.Tqpmeyp5mSM
This poor young man, who I assume is black, would have been safer in his own country away from these racist thugs. I know that the hospital in E Grinstead where he was taken specializes in plastic surgery.
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27 October 2011
Man seriously hurt in Langley Green gang attack
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A gang of up to 15 men repeatedly kicked and stamped on the head of a man visiting West Sussex.
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The 38-year-old victim, who is French Mauritian, was left with four separate facial fractures following the attack in Langley Green, Crawley.
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The man was at a friend’s 18th birthday party at a community centre and had gone outside at 02:00 BST to look for his wife when he was set upon.
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Sussex Police have only just released details of the attack on 15 October.
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The man was taken to East Surrey Hospital in Redhill, Surrey, but has since been transferred to the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead.
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Det Con Mike George, of Sussex Police, said: “This was an attack on a man visiting this country.
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“The consultant treating him described his injuries as some of the worst she had seen from an assault.”
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BBC website
Mary,
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It is horrible fate indeed. This and also what happened to the Malysian student during riots.
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I also recall that a year ago Indian student was murdered near Croydon station and all thugs got was his smartphone.
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I believe this is because government does not want to keep thugs in jail but let them loose and commit more serious crimes before considering them for a place in where they actually belong.
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Also today there were headlines that freed thugs committed around 500 000 new crimes.
Hello
Has there been any more information as to the whereabouts of the Malyshevs?
I’ve posted this commen in a later blog too.
I’ve just discovered this link from yesterday’s South Wales Evening Post regarding the Malyshevs.
http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Worries-asylum-seekers-sent-home/story-13697365-detail/story.html
Craig
Have you any update beyond the useful/ worrying information in the 29 Oct South Wales Evening Post report(thanks to John Gross’s posting yesterday for the link). I’ve had no replies yet from MPs I’ve emailed. Any thoughts on the further draft I have emailed to you? The single most worrying fact appears to be that Helena does not know where her mother or brother are and is not able to contasct them.
Komodo
I had an email early this evening from Tessa Jowell (my MP)which simply said that she has written to the Home Secretary. Follow-up will almost certainly be needed once the reply comes through.
RNS announcement from Oxus Gold
http://fool.uk-wire.com/Article.aspx?id=201110311419401763R
UZBEK COURT REJECTS SAID ASHUROV’S APPEAL AGAINST JAIL SENTENCE
TASHKENT – An Uzbek military court on October 6, 2011 rejected Said Ashurov’s appeal against a 12 year jail sentence on an espionage charge under Article 160 of the Uzbek Criminal Code.
Ashurov, a Tajik citizen, was Chief Metallurgist at the Amantaytau Goldfields A.O. (AGF) gold mining joint venture in Uzbekistan until March of this year. Ashurov has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Ashurov’s health has suffered in detention after his arrest on March 7, 2011. He has a long-standing hepatitis condition that requires access to regular medication and expert care.
Commenting, Robert Amsterdam, counsel to Oxus Gold plc, said: “The court’s decision to uphold the guilty verdict is further evidence of the lack of a functioning legal system in Uzbekistan. The courts are a tool in the hands of a corrupt leadership that shows nothing but contempt for foreign investors, not to speak of its own citizens. The prosecution never had a shred of evidence to support their case. The Uzbek authorities should take careful note of the international reaction to the death of Sergey Magnitsky in Russia. If Said Ashurov’s life is put in danger, Uzbek officials will be held accountable by western governments.”
Reply from my MP, Sam Gyimah:
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“……Whilst I am unable to comment on their case without knowing the full picture, I have written to Damian Green MP Minister of State for immigration, on your behalf, asking him to look into your concerns.
When I receive a response, I will be back in touch.”
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