Polish authorities have denied international protection to Tajik-born Russian activist Saidanvar Sulaymonov, also known online as Sasha Pechenka.
In Poland, the activist works as a journalist, as well as a volunteer on the border with Ukraine, helping Ukrainian refugees. In Russia, he worked in the campaign headquarters of Andrey Pivovarov, who is now in a colony under an article on carrying out the activities of an undesirable organization. Sulaimonov also worked as an orderly in a covid hospital in Moscow, but was fired after the publication of a photo with a flashlight – it was an action in support of Alexei Navalny.
By working with Pivovarov, Sulaimonov attracted the attention of the authorities – the FSB, without explaining the reasons, banned him from entering the Russian Federation for the next 40 years. At the airport, he was searched at gunpoint, writes Sota. Commenting on this, Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov said on the air: “Get out of our country, scum, you have no homeland at all.”
As Pechenka told The Insider, the Polish authorities did not see any facts in his biography that indicate that it is dangerous for him to return to his native country.
“Refusal, because supposedly in Tajikistan they don’t persecute me, there is no formal evidence. At the same time, The Insider even published an article about the persecution of Tajik oppositionists. The special services of Russia and Tajikistan are working together, I really face a prison if I go to Tajikistan. The special services came to my parents' house and found out my location. They came from the military registration and enlistment office, from law enforcement agencies. They don't give me any papers stating that I'm on some business, they just come, interview neighbors, try to find out where I am and what I'm doing. In Tajikistan, I can also be persecuted not only by the authorities, but also by local pro-Islamic pro-religious activists, because I was the admin of the Atheism.tj Instagram project, our admins were deanonized, we were sent a bunch of threats that they would kill, slaughter, cut off our heads.
It is also dangerous for me to appear in Tajikistan, because I actively support LGBTQ+, I openly support feminism, I have 3-5 people who regularly write me threats in case I return to Tajikistan. I openly wrote about my position on the war of Tajikistan in Kyrgyzstan, spoke with an anti-war position in this conflict, because of this I also received many threats. There is no criminal prosecution, not even an administrative one, but this does not mean anything at all. There are many cases with guys from Moscow, Kyiv, even from Germany, when the case was quickly started after deportation to Tajikistan. They are planted for 20-30 years.
Earlier, The Insider wrote how Russia began to kidnap and extradite Tajiks to the Rahmon regime without any court decisions, and sometimes, contrary to all laws, Russian citizens were also extradited. Those who were hiding in Europe were lured to Russian territory by the Russian authorities (using people known as Russian opposition activists) in order to be kidnapped and transferred to Tajikistan. One of the abductees, Sharofiddin Gadoev, managed to return to Europe. Among other things, he spoke about his meeting with Nikolai Patrushev, who, according to Gadoev, played a major role in luring out the Tajik opposition. The Insider and Bellingcat talked to many participants in the events and found out how the leaders of the Tajik opposition were lured out to “meet with Putin”, how activists were taken to Tajikistan in a coffin under the guise of corpses, and how in Europe Tajik special services collect intimidating dirt on opposition leaders.