Terrorist suspect extradited to Russia amidst controversy

The UN Human Rights Committee asked Slovakia to postpone the extradition of Aslan Yandiyev to Russia because the UN wanted to examine whether he would face torture and mistreatment there. He is a Russian citizen wanted on suspicion of terrorism, asking Slovakia for asylum in May 2008. Yandiyev, however, was extradited on Tuesday. "The failure to respect a UN Human Rights Committee appeal is a dangerous signal that could have a negative effect on law enforcement," human rights non-governmental organisation Amnesty International Slovakia stated. The Slovak Justice Ministry defended its actions by pointing to the European Court for Human Rights, which dismissed a request that would have banned Yandiyev's extradition. In its statement on Wednesday, the ministry explained that if Yandiyev hadn't been extradited, he would have had to have been released, which would have been a security risk given the accusations he faces.