Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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September 15, 2009
Today, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) expressed serious concern about the temporary detention of Uzbek refugees in Kazakhstan and their alleged ill-treatment.
UNHCR received reports that last week, three Uzbek refugees and two of their compatriots who had not yet received refugee status were arrested in their homes overnight by armed, masked men. "A group of at least six armed, masked men broke into their homes in the middle of the night on Monday and took them all in for questioning," the UNHCR statement read.
"One of the refugees was beaten, resulting in a broken nose," UNHCR spokesperson Melissa Fleming reported. It later emerged that the Uzbek citizens had been arrested by Kazakhstan's National Security Committee. The refugees claim they were insulted during interrogation and threatened with immediate deportation to their home country.
The refugees and asylum seekers were released several hours later. The National Security Committee stated that they were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the murder of a police officer in their home country of Uzbekistan. Kazakh authorities received a request for their arrest from Uzbek law enforcement.
UNHCR noted that these Uzbek citizens were registered with its office in Kazakhstan, but were not allowed to contact the Office or their families. The detainees were not provided with lawyers.
UNHCR emphasized that citizens of neighboring states should have adequate access to the asylum system in Kazakhstan if necessary. “We call on the government of Kazakhstan, as a signatory country Convention relating to the Status of Refugees 1951 and its 1967 Protocol, to fulfill their obligations to protect refugees,” said a UNHCR spokeswoman.
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