RACHID RACHID MESLI MESLI AZER AZER SAMADOV SAMADOV NADEJDA NADEJDA ATAEVA ATAEVA Protected Protectedby bythe thenew newRefugee RefugeePolicy Policy 54 Nadejda Nadejda Ataeva: Ataeva: Based Based in in France, France, Nadejda Nadejda is is the the president president ofof the the Association Association ofof Human Human Rights Rights in in Central Central Asia. Asia. She She and and her her family family were were charged charged with with embezzlement embezzlement and and forced forced toto flee flee Uzbekistan Uzbekistan after after her her father father Alim Alim Atayev Atayev disagreed disagreed with with President President Islam Islam Karimov. Karimov. Close Close relatives relatives and and colleagues colleagues ofof the the Atayevs Atayevs were were arrested arrested and and tortured tortured into into giving giving evidence evidence against against Nadejda, Nadejda, her her father father and and her her brother. brother. After After fleeing fleeing the the country, country, Nadejda Nadejda was was sentenced sentenced in in absentia absentia toto sixsix years years in in prison prison and and a Red a Red Notice Notice was was published published in in 2000. 2000. Despite Despite Nadejda Nadejda being being a recognised a recognised refugee refugee in in France, France, the the Red Red Notice Notice against against Nadejda Nadejda was was not not lifted lifted until until 2015 2015 following following the the introduction introduction ofof the the Refugee Refugee Policy. Policy. Azer Azer Samadov: Samadov: AA political political activist activist from from Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan, Azer Azer left left hishis home home country country due due toto hishis fear fear ofof persecution persecution after after supporting supporting the the candidate candidate opposing opposing the the incumbent incumbent President, President, Ilham Ilham Aliyev, Aliyev, in in the the 2003 2003 presidential presidential elections. elections. HeHe fled fled toto Georgia, Georgia, where where hehe was was recognised recognised asas a refugee a refugee in in 2008 2008 byby the the United United Nations Nations High High Commissioner Commissioner forfor Refugees, Refugees, and and later later given given protection protection asas a refugee a refugee byby the the Netherlands. Netherlands. In In 2009, 2009, hehe was was briefly briefly detained detained atat anan airport airport due due toto anan INTERPOL INTERPOL alert alert issued issued byby Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan. HeHe attempted attempted toto challenge challenge hishis Red Red Notice Notice in in 2010 2010 but but received received nono response response from from the the CCF CCF forfor several several years. years. During During this this period, period, Azer, Azer, who who needed needed toto travel travel toto perform perform hishis work, work, was was unwilling unwilling toto dodo so.so. It It was was not not until until SepSeptember tember 2015, 2015, after after the the introduction introduction ofof the the Refugee Refugee Policy, Policy, that that Azer’s Azer’s Red Red Notice Notice was was eventually eventually deleted, deleted, eight eight years years after after it was it was first first issued. issued. Rachid Rachid Mesli: Mesli: Rachid Rachid Mesli Mesli is is a human a human rights rights lawyer lawyer currently currently working working in in Geneva. Geneva. In In 1997, 1997, Rachid Rachid was was convicted convicted byby anan Algerian Algerian court, court, sentenced sentenced toto three three years years in in prison prison and and was was declared declared a prisoner a prisoner ofof conscience conscience byby Amnesty Amnesty International International owing owing toto the the flagrant flagrant unfairness unfairness ofof the the trial. trial. In In 2000, 2000, Rachid Rachid left left Algeria, Algeria, and and was was granted granted refugee refugee status status in in Switzerland. Switzerland. In In 2002, 2002, Rachid Rachid was was charged charged byby the the Algerian Algerian authorities authorities in in absentia absentia with with belonging belonging toto anan ‘armed ‘armed terrorist terrorist group’ group’ operating operating abroad, abroad, after after two two men men were were allegedly allegedly forced forced under under torture torture into into making making statements statements in in which which they they ‘confessed’ ‘confessed’ toto being being associated associated with with Rachid Rachid and and anan armed armed group. group. In In August August 2012, 2012, Fair Fair Trials Trials submitted submitted a request a request toto the the CCF, CCF, seeking seeking access access toto the the information information which which it holds it holds in in relation relation toto Rachid Rachid asas a precursor a precursor toto submitting submitting a request a request forfor the the deletion deletion ofof that that data. data. In In August August 2015, 2015, Rachid Rachid was was arrested arrested in in Italy Italy during during a holiday a holiday with with hishis family. family. HeHe was was subsequently subsequently held held under under house house arrest arrest forfor four four weeks weeks until until the the Turin Turin Court Court ofof Appeal Appeal lifted lifted the the restrictive restrictive measure measure due due toto the the failure failure ofof the the Algerian Algerian authorities authorities toto provide provide the the information information necessary necessary forfor a decision a decision onon extradition extradition toto bebe reached. reached. Rachid Rachid was was eventually eventually notified notified that that the the Red Red Notice Notice had had been been deleted deleted in in May May 2016, 2016, almost almost four four years years after after Fair Fair Trials Trials had had initially initially made made contact contact with with the the CCF CCF and and only only after after a specific a specific request request forfor the the Refugee Refugee Policy Policy toto bebe applied applied had had been been submitted. submitted.