DUSHANBE, July 20, Asia-Plus – European Court on Human rights has applied to Russian Prosecutor-General’s Office with solicitation not to extradite Habibullo Nasrulloyev, Tajikistan’s head of consumers’ union in 1992-1997, to Tajik authorities, Moscow “Novaya Gazeta” cited Agentura.ru website as saying.

Habibullo Nasrulloyev has been held in the pretrial detention facility since July 2003, which his defense lawyer Anna Stavitskaya protested.  "Under the law, nobody can be kept in pretrial detention facility for more than 18 months," Anna Stavitskaya said. "My client has been kept in pre-trial detention longer than that, which is blatant violation."

“Novaya Gazeta” reports the term of holding of Nasrulloyev in a pretrial detention facility expired on July 14 and he was supposed to be released.  However, his son said that his father had not been released

We will recall that Moscow courts in May ruled to deny refugee status to Habibullo Nasrulloyev and did not release him.  Migration services also said that there was no ground for granting him that status.

Nasrulloyev’s defense lawyer denounced the ruling and vowed to appeal to international judicial bodies.  

On July 3, Russian Prosecutor-General’s Office made decision on extradition of Habibullo Nasrulloyev to Tajikistan . 

Nasrulloyev, who was an active member of the pro-government Popular Front during the civil conflict in Tajikistan , and his family left for Uzbekistan after the failed attack on the Tajik northern province of Sughd in November 1998.  Nasrulloyev then traveled to meet his son in Russia , where he was arrested, Stavitskaya said.