The Ministry of Justice Released a Statement about the Extradition of Akhmed Chataev

The Ministry of Justice in Georgia released a statement about the extradition of Chechen refugee Akhmed Chataev. Deputy Minister of Justice, Davit Jandieri, said Georgia is not willing to extradite Chataev to Russia.

Davit Jandieri added that Chataev was extradited to Georgia from Ukraine but before that the Russian Federation had petitioned to the Ukrainian authority to extradite him to Russia.

“The Ministry of Justice in Georgia has information that the European Court of Human Rights had petitioned the Ukrainian government so as to not extradite Chataev to the Russian Federation. However, this information was not officially noted. So, the Department of the Georgian Ministry of Justice, in relation to the ECHR, requested the relevant information from the European Court as to whether they had requested the Ukrainian government to refrain from extraditing Chataev to Russia. Austria granted refugee status to Akhmed Chataev. Currently, the Ministry of Justice is working on the documents for Chataev’s extradition, in response to the Russian Federation’s request. However, Georgia will not extradite him,” Jandieri said.

We kindly remind you that ICK spread information that the government of Georgia intended to extradite Chechen refugee Akhmed Chataev to Russia. The Russian prosecutor’s office confirmed that the Russian Federation has sought Akhmed Chataev for several years already and representatives from two countries negotiate on this issue; however Chataev’s refugee status granted by Austria hinders extradition process. Chataev has been in arbitrary imprisonment in Gldani Prison # 8 for more than one month. The Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia charged him for the crimes punishable under Article 236 Part I and II of the Criminal Code of Georgia that includes illegal purchase, storage and possession of explosives and is punishable by imprisonment from three up to five years. Currently, Chataev is in pretrial detention. He does not plead guilty.

ICK