A U.S. immigration court in Louisiana has ruled that Zahir Mukhamedyarov, a 27-year-old protester from Russia’s republic of Bashkortostan, can remain in the United States without risk of deportation, local media reported Friday.
Mukhamedyarov fled Russia in March, crossing illegally into the U.S. from Mexico to avoid arrest following large-scale protests in January over the imprisonment of indigenous rights activist Fayil Alsynov. The demonstrations in the town of Baymak were a rare show of public dissent amid widespread political repression since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The court granted Mukhamedyarov “withholding of relief,” a status that offers protection from deportation to Russia until conditions there improve, according to Idel.Realii, an affiliate of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
“I’m happy to win in court and that I won’t be deported,” Mukhamedyarov said from the immigration detention center where he was being held.
The January protests in Baymak led to over 85 arrests, with at least two deaths under unclear circumstances and several prison sentences for participants. U.S. prosecutors have 30 days to appeal the ruling. If upheld, Mukhamedyarov is expected to be released from detention within 90 days.
THEMOSCOWTIMES.COM
