Russian neo-Nazi and former martial arts fighter could cause Norwegian authorities another extradition headache if he wins his case. Vjatsjelav Datsik has been advised to follow Mullah Krekar’s example and seek asylum in Norway.
Mr Datsik escaped from a Russian mental hospital earlier this year, claiming he was tortured in prison. The Russian neo-Nazi, who is currently in a Norwegian jail for possession of illegal weapons after he turned himself over to police in September, alleges he was handcuffed naked for eight months and electric shocks applied to his testicles, according to one of his Norwegian lawyers, Fridtjof Feydt. If his torture allegations are proven, his case may cause Norwegian authorities another extradition headache similar to Iraqi Mullah Krekar, with Mr Datsik possibly at liberty to wander the Norwegian streets unchecked whilst awaiting extradition himself. Mullah Krekar, the founder of Islamist armed group Ansar al-Islam, has been living with his family in Oslo since 1991, and is considered to be a threat to national security. However, international law obliges Norway to shelter people who risk persecution and death in their home country if returned, and authorities cannot extradite Mr Krekar until the Iraqis provide them with a written statement, guaranteeing he will not face execution upon his return.
Legal nightmare?
Both the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) and Oslo police were ready to extradite Mr Datsik back to Russia following his arrest, but the police psychiatrist said he was not suffering from any mental illness. This allowed him to seek political asylum in Norway for reasons of personal safety. “Datsik claims he has been subjected to extensive torture and fears for his life if he is sent back into Russian captivity,” Bernt Christian Birkeland, his other lawyer tells TV2. Meanwhile, Dimitry Demuskin, leader of the Russian extreme right group Slavonic Strength says it was the organization’s lawyers themselves who suggested Norway to Mr Datsik. Convinced that Norwegian authorities will do everything in their power to extradite the jailed Russian, Mr Demuskin said lawyers representing both Slavonic Strength and Mr Datsik in Norway are ready to put up a fight towards obtaining asylum. “We will go all the way to the European Court of Human Rights. We have seen Mullah Krekar’s case. Therefore, we thought ‘why not try?’ Datsik is neither Chechen nor Muslim, but we are trying anyway,” Mr Demuskin says.
The Foreigner
