REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA: Seven people deported to Turkey despite major human rights concerns

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11 Sep 2018
[International Secretariat]
Region: REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
Topic: Refugees and Migrants

The Moldovan authorities ignored their international human rights obligations when they detained and deported seven Turkish nationals reportedly seeking asylum in Moldova this morning, said Amnesty International.

The news follows today’s police raid on the Turkish high school ‘Orizont’ in Chișinău’s Durleşti neighbourhood.

The Moldovan authorities should have ensured their protection from forcible return to Turkey, but instantly deport them. The Moldovan authorities didn’t just violate these individuals’ rights they put them on a fast-track to further human rights violations.

According to the information from the lawyers of the detainees, the detainees weren’t informed of their rights at the time of detention, nor about the charges laid against them.

The seven detainees were apprehended with excessive force and intimidation.

“The latest arrests in Moldova follow the pattern of political reprisals against Turkish nationals living abroad by the increasingly repressive government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In March this year, six Turkish nationals, also school employees, were abducted and unlawfully returned to Turkey without the knowledge of the country’s highest authorities and without the ability to challenge what happened to them,” said Marie Struthers.

Reportedly the detained ‘Orizont’ staff members had previously requested asylum in Moldova, claiming they would face persecution in their homeland.

“Forcible return of those seeking protection in Moldova is a flagrant violation of Moldova’s international human rights obligations. The state authorities must immediately hold to account those responsible for the arbitrary detention and expulsion of the Turkish nationals.”

Background

On 6 September, officers of the Moldovan SIS (Intelligence and Security Service) detained in different locations a number of Turkish nationals connected to the Turkish high school ‘Orizont’ in Chișinău’s Durleşti neighbourhood, including its director Rıza Doğan and other staff members.

Amnesty International has received information indicating there may be further deportations of Turkish nationals to Turkey in the coming hours.

6 September 2018
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL QUOTE

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