Imangazali Magomedov, native of Dagestan, asks not to deport him to Russia

Imangazali Magomedov, a native of Dagestan, who was detained in Ukraine, has asked to be deported to a third country, treating it unsafe to return to Russia.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 29 it became known that a court in Ukraine extended the stay of Imangazali Magomedov, 43, at the deportation centre for six months. He decided to appeal against this decision.

In the summer of 2022, Imangazali Magomedov crossed the border into Ukraine in order to escape supervision in Russia, and was detained by Ukrainian border guards. According to his version, he twice applied for asylum in Ukraine, but the migration service refused to consider his applications. Magomedov explained the decision to leave Russia by law enforcers' pressure, who demanded from him to "report on Muslims", threatening otherwise to "imprison him."

Imangazali Magomedov is seeking deportation not to Russia, but to another country that is safe for him, said Valery Yakovenko, the programme coordinator for the "Just Cause" human rights association from Odessa. In connection with the threat of return to Russia, Magomedov wrote an application for deportation to a third country, where he can apply for refugee status.

Let us remind you that on June 2, 2014, law enforcers detained Magomedov after searches in his house and the house of his mother. During the searches, according to investigators, a pistol and cartridges were found in Magomedov's car. His advocate stated that her client was beaten up.

In March 2015, a court sentenced Magomedov to seven years in prison, finding him guilty of aiding militants and illegal possession of drugs and weapons. The convict himself pleaded guilty only to illegal possession of weapons.

In October 2022, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) recognized that Imangazali Magomedov had suffered from torture by law enforcers and decided that he should be paid compensation of 33,800 euros.