FINROSFORUM

FINROSFORUM

FINROSFORUM  //  The Finnish-Russian Civic Forum strives to promote cooperation between the peoples of Finland and Russia by supporting civic initiatives for democracy, human rights, and freedom of speech.

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Nov 24 / 9:49am

Other Russia Member Seeks Asylum in Finland

by Kerkko Paananen

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Sergey Porokhovoy, member of the Russian opposition party, Other Russia, has applied for political asylum in Finland. Mr Porokhovoy is one of 13 activists of Other Russia, who are charged in St Petersburg with political crimes under Russia's "anti-extremism" law. The authorities accuse the members of Other Russia of continuing the activities of the left-wing political party, National Bolshevik Party (NBP), which was banned in 2007 -- also under Russia's draconian anti-extremist legislation.

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Filed under  //  282   Asylum   Democracy   Extremism   Finland   Human Rights   Other Russia   Refugee   Russia  
 
Oct 25 / 2:52pm

Elena Maglevannaya granted asylum

by Kerkko Paananen

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Finnish authorities have granted asylum to the Russian journalist and human rights defender, Elena Maglevannaya. She fled from Russia in May 2009 after receiving threats for her press reports about the abuse and torture of Chechens in Russian prisons. In a trial that was seen as heavily tilted in favour of the prosecution, Elena was convicted of libel because of her articles. While waiting for a decision on her asylum application in Finland, she continued her investigations into prison conditions in Russia.

In July 2010, speaking in an interview with YLE News, Elena expressed confidence in the European justice system: "Here in Finland, there is rule of law. I have often been in a situation where law has no meaning or it does not exist at all," she said. Earlier, several leading human rights defenders started a petition to the Finnish immigration authorities on Elena's behalf. Many Russian journalists and human rights defenders who have highlighted human rights abuses in the North Caucasus have either been killed or imprisoned.

Oksana Chelysheva, board member of the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society, noted that the Finnish Immigration Service, once again, showed its impartiality in its conclusion that Elena's asylum application was warranted and that she was indeed in need of international protection. Elena found a lot of support in Finland, and today's decision gives joy to everyone, Oksana wrote. She recalled that Elena started her human rights work alone in Volgograd. Thanks to her efforts, the case of Zubair Zubairayev received international attention.

Read on for an interview with Elena...

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Filed under  //  Asylum   Chechnya   Finland   Human Rights   Journalism   Maglevannaya   Russia  
 
Jul 7 / 2:18am

Elena Maglevannaya will not give up

by Kerkko Paananen

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The Russian freelance journalist and human rights activist, Elena Maglevannaya, who has applied for asylum in Finland, continues her work at the refugee reception centre in Joutseno, on the Finnish-Russian border.

Maglevannaya has been waiting for a decision on her asylum application for over a year now. If the Finnish immigration authorities grant her asylum, Maglevannaya vows to continue writing about human rights violations in Chechnya.

"It is impossible for me to return to Russia; that would be a death sentence," says Maglevannaya. She has finally received an invitation to a hearing at the Finnish Immigration Service, where she will have an opportunity to recount her reasons to apply for asylum.

"I am excited, but I have great trust in the European system. Here in Finland, there is rule of law. I have often been in a situation where law has no meaning or it does not exist at all," Maglevannaya says.

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Filed under  //  Asylum   Chechnya   Finland   Human rights   Journalism   Prisons   Russia   Torture  
 
Jun 10 / 2:38pm

Asylum for Elena Maglevannaya!

by Kerkko Paananen

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Dear Finnish migration authorities,

We urge you to grant asylum to the Russian human rights defender and journalist Elena Maglevannaya. She arrived in Finland in late May 2009 and has stayed there since. Maglevannaya decided to apply for asylum in Finland after she was persecuted by the Russian authorities for her articles about the torture of Chechen inmates in Russian prisons. Moreover, Maglevannaya received several death threats from Russian ultranationalist organisations closely linked to the authorities.

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Filed under  //  Appeal   Asylum   Chechnya   Finland   Journalism   Maglevannaya   Petition   Russia  
 
May 5 / 12:50am

Venäjän pakolaisvirta Suomeen yltyy

by Mikael Storsjö

Chechnya_ingushetia

Euroopan komission alainen tilastoyksikkö Eurostat julkaisi tiistaina vuoden 2009 pakolaistilastonsa. Eurooppaan tuli viime vuonna lähes 261 000 turvapaikanhakijaa; näistä lähes 48.000 Ranskaan. Kaiken kaikkiaan Venäjän Federaatiosta tulleiden turvapaikanhakijoiden määrä oli yli 20.000 henkilöä, eli toiseksi suurin määrä heti afgaanipakolaisten jälkeen.

Suomen osalta tilastot osoittavat huimaa nousua Venäjän federaatiosta tulleiden turvapaikanhakijoiden osalta. Pakolaisneuvonnan tilastoinnin mukaan Suomeen tuli turvapaikanhakijoita Venäjältä vuonna 2007 kaikkiaan 172 henkilöä, vuonna 2008 yhteensä 209 henkilöä, ja vuonna 2009 peräti 602 henkilöä.

Taustalla on Venäjän Federaation alueella yhä heikentyvä ihmisoikeustilanne, josta EU joutuu kantamaan oman vastuunsa. Tosin Venäjän maahanmuuttoviraston mukaan 44 % venäläisistä pakolaisista olisi muista IVY-maista tulleita venäjänkielisiä pakolaisia. Tämä väite ei ole kovin uskottava, sillä Eurostatin tilastointi rakentuu kansallisuuteen eikä kieleen. Kenties Venäjä ennakoi tulevaa historiankirjoitusta ja tilastoi jo tänään pohjoiskaukasialaiset ulkomaalaisiksi?

Lähteet: Eurostat, Pakolaisneuvonta, RIA Novosti

Filed under  //  Asylum   Chechnya   EU   Finland   Human Rights   Ingushetia   North Caucasus  
 
Mar 8 / 1:55pm

Russian family seeking asylum jumps from tower block in Glasgow

by Kerkko Paananen

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Three people who plunged to their deaths from a multi-storey flat in Glasgow were a Russian family seeking asylum in the UK, the BBC reports. The father, mother and son had been granted asylum in Canada but left after a dispute with the authorities there.

The apparent triple suicide happened on Sunday at the Red Road flats complex in the city's Springburn area. A source familiar with the case said the family had been told that they had to leave their flat in Springburn after their application to stay was refused.

No removal order had been issued, however, and they were advised to seek help from the Scottish Refugee Council to find alternative accommodation. The bodies were discovered by the concierge at the tower block after they had fallen from the 15th floor.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8554849.stm

Filed under  //  Asylum   Russia   Scotland   Suicide   UK