Uzbek journalist Ali Feruz to be expelled from Russia

On October 25, 2018, the European Court of Human Rights issued a decision on the complaint filed against the Russian Federation by the citizen of the Republic of Uzbekistan Nurmatov Kh.T. (Ali Feruz).

The applicant complained about violation of Articles 3 and 5 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in connection with the fact that for illegal stay and labor activity in the Russian Federation he was sentenced to administrative expulsion, which resulted in his placement in a temporary detention center for foreign citizens.

Besides, the Russian side, according to Mr. Nurmatov, threatened him with forced relocation to the Republic of Uzbekistan, where he allegedly could have been subjected to ill-treatment.

The European Court agreed with the arguments of the Russian authorities and declared the complaint inadmissible and subject to exclusion from the list of pending cases.

The ECHR found that the applicant’s allegations of a violation of Article 3 of the Convention do not merit consideration because of his departure to the Federal Republic of Germany and, accordingly, eliminating the risk of his forcible transfer to the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The European Court also found no violation of the requirements of Article 5 of the Convention in connection with the applicant's detention at a temporary detention center for foreign citizens, recognizing the actions of the authorities of the Russian Federation were reasonable and fair.