Vitalie Nagachevski, the lawyer for the seven deported Turkish citizens, who taught at “Orizont” Lyceums in Moldova, at the European Court of Human Rights, said there are conclusive proofs showing the authorities of the two states concluded agreements as to the deportation of the seven persons from Moldova, IPN reports.
In an interview for RFE/RL’s Moldovan Service, Vitalie Nagachevski said a disguised extradition took place and the teachers weren’t ensured the rights they enjoyed based on the national legislation and international treaties to which Moldova is a party. Under the national legal provisions combined with international ones, the Moldovan authorities should have issued the Turkish citizens with extradition decisions and should have given them time for appeal. Also, the foreign citizens shouldn’t have been handed over to the Turkish authorities, but should have been accompanied up to Moldova’s border so that they could choose the country where to go themselves.
According to the lawyer, the Moldovan Government’s agent to the European Court of Human Rights said not all the national appeal ways were used and a number of trials go on and the ECHR can be involved only after these proceedings are over, but the rights of these persons weren’t actually violated. He provided counterarguments saying there are trials at national level indeed, but these cannot decide the fate of the Turkish teachers as these could not be brought back and Turkey would not accept something like this.
Vitalie Nagachevski noted the national legislation was interpreted to suit the authorities, but the defense’s position was ultimately sufficient. “We proved that the Government is wrong when it makes particular assertions,” stated the lawyer.
On June 11, the ECHR is to pass its judgement in the case of seven Turkish citizens who were extradited from Moldova to Turkey last September. Vitalie Nagachevski said he expects Moldova will be convicted as the country didn’t ensure the basic rights stipulated in the national legislation and international treaties. According to press reports, most of the teachers were already convicted by courts in Turkey.
