01 February 2012, 22:00
In Sweden, Maskhadov's ally asks for political asylum in Georgia
Emilkhan Sadaev, the ally of Aslan Maskhadov, President of the self-proclaimed Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, requested for political asylum in Georgia.
At present, Emilkhan Sadaev is kept in the deportation prison of the Swedish town of Flen.
In the Russian Federation, Emilkhan Sadaev is charged under four Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation: Part 3 of Article 222 "illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation or carrying of weapon, its main parts, ammunition, explosives and explosive devices", Part 2 of Article 208 "organization of illegal armed formation or participation in it", Parts 1 and 2 of Article 209 "banditry", and Article 317 "attempt on life of a law enforcement officer".
Emilkhan Sadaev hopes to receive political asylum in Georgia and to avoid deportation to Russia, the RIA "Novosti" reports.
Emilkhan Sadaev appealed to Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili on the air of the "PIK" TV Channel. Sadaev communicated with the TV channel via Skype out of the room for meetings of the Swedish deportation prison. He said that he fought together with Aslan Maskhadov.
In his video message to Mikhail Saakashvili, Emilkhan Sadaev states that he "hopes for assistance to prevent deportation to the Russian Federation", where he "will face torture and extrajudicial execution," the IA "News-Georgia" reports.