Open letter

To: 

United Nations (UN) – UNHCR

European Union (EU)

Human Rights Committee

Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkey

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

Amnesty International

Human Rights Watch

International human rights organizations

Freedom House

Subject: Urgent Request to Prevent the Extradition of Firuz Boboev to Tajikistan

Dear Sir/Madam,

We respectfully request your urgent intervention to prevent the extradition of Firuz Boboev to Tajikistan. The National Committee for the Release of Political Hostages and Prisoners of Tajikistan informs you that Firuz Boboev, a citizen of Tajikistan and an active member of the political movement «Group-24,» has been detained by Turkish law enforcement officers and is at serious risk of being extradited to Tajikistan.

Firuz Boboev has been living in Turkey as a political refugee since 2016 and has been registered with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) under number 414-18C23784 since 2018. He also holds temporary residence status in Turkey. Boboev began his political career within the «Group-24» movement and has repeatedly criticized the authoritarian regime of Emomali Rahmon for its human rights violations in Tajikistan.

On August 3, 2024, at the request of the Tajik authorities, he was detained by Turkish police and held at the Canakkale extradition center until October 10, 2024. Thanks to the efforts of his defense lawyer, his extradition was suspended for 266 days. However, on January 23, 2025, Boboev was arrested again and is currently being held in the extradition center. Despite his registration with the UNHCR, Turkish authorities have disregarded this status, creating a significant risk of extradition for him. His defense lawyer is working to cancel the extradition order, but the situation remains dire.

We stress that the extradition of Firuz Boboev to Tajikistan would be tantamount to a death sentence or, at the very least, would subject him to a lengthy prison sentence without due process. Torture and oppression are rampant in the prisons of the Rahmon regime. Moreover, we point out that a year ago, the leader of the «Group-24» political movement, Sukhrob Zafar, and its representative in Turkey, Nasimjon Sharifov, disappeared from Turkey and were later found in Tajikistan’s prisons. Their disappearances and subsequent extradition raise serious questions. How were they abducted? Which court authorized their deportation or extradition?

Furthermore, we recall that in 2015, Umarali Quvvatov, the founder of «Group-24,» was assassinated in Istanbul in front of his wife and children. Nasimjon Sharifov was also disappeared and later extradited to Tajikistan, where he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Similarly, Sukhrob Zafar, the leader of «Group-24,» was found in Tajik prisons after six months of disappearance from Turkey and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Firuz Boboev now faces the same severe risks of extradition, persecution, and potentially fatal consequences.

Given the above facts, we respectfully request the following actions from the international community, Turkish authorities, and international organizations:

— Restore Firuz Boboev’s asylum status in Turkey and prevent his extradition to Tajikistan.

— Ensure compliance with Turkey’s international obligations under the UN Convention on Refugees, specifically the prohibition of extradition of individuals at risk of persecution and torture.

— Guarantee fair consideration of Boboev’s case in accordance with international law, with the participation of UN representatives, human rights organizations, and media representatives.

— Apply pressure on the Tajik government to cease the persecution and deportation of its political opponents from abroad.

We are deeply concerned that international indifference to these violations will encourage further persecution of dissidents and human rights abuses in the region. As an official UN refugee, any extradition of Firuz Boboev to Tajikistan would constitute a clear violation of international law and severely damage the reputation of the United Nations as an institution.

We urge the international community and democratic governments to take immediate and decisive action to prevent the extradition of Firuz Boboev. We trust that Turkey, which considers itself a defender of human rights and democratic freedoms, will uphold its international obligations and protect a political refugee from the persecution and torture of an autocratic dictatorship.

We call on Turkish authorities not to become complicit in the crimes of the dictatorial regime of Emomali Rahmon.

Sincerely, 

The National Committee for Release of Political Hostages and Prisoners of Tajikistan

09.02.2025

Warsaw