June 5, 2025
Freedom for Eurasia welcomes the recent decision by the Chisinau Court to reject the General Prosecutor’s Office request to extradite Khaidarali Khalikov to Kyrgyzstan. The ruling, issued on June 2, 2025, follows the recognition of Mr. Khalikov’s refugee status by the General Inspectorate for Migration and upholds the fundamental principle of non-refoulement, as enshrined in both Moldovan law and international human rights treaties.
The decision was reported by Promo-LEX Association and its attorneys Mereacre Dmitrie and Vieru Vadim who represented Mr. Khalikov.
“The court’s decision acknowledges Mr. Khalikov’s refugee status and excludes any possibility of extradition, in accordance with national legislation and Moldova’s human rights commitments. This case demonstrates that national justice prioritizes the fundamental principles of protecting vulnerable individuals,” stated Mereacre Dmitrie, lawyer at Promo-LEX.
Freedom for Eurasia has been closely monitoring Mr. Khalikov’s case and previously reported on the politically motivated persecution he faces.
Khaidarali Khalikov, a citizen of Kyrgyzstan, is a victim of transnational repression. Until September 5, 2024, he served as an advisor to President Sadyr Japarov.
On November 13, 2024, Mr. Khalikov gave an extensive interview to investigative journalist Bolot Temirov, in which he made serious allegations against President Japarov and other senior officials. He stated that both Japarov and his spokesperson, Orunbekov, pressured him into publishing slander against individuals critical of the government. Khalikov further claimed that Japarov is now a billionaire, despite having been nearly penniless before becoming president. This interview prompted the dismissal of all presidential advisors working on a voluntary basis.
On December 12, 2024, a criminal case was initiated against Mr. Khalikov under Article 209, Part 2, Paragraph 1, and Part 4.4 of the Kyrgyz Republic’s Criminal Code.
Mr. Khalikov was detained in Chisinau on January 10, 2025, by Moldova’s Residence Regime Supervision Directorate (General Inspectorate for Migration), in coordination with the Criminal Investigations Directorate of the National Investigation Inspectorate. His arrest followed an extradition request from Kyrgyzstan and the initial denial of his asylum claim.
Mr. Khalikov applied for refugee status in Moldova, citing a well-founded fear of political reprisals if returned to Kyrgyzstan. Over the past few years, Kyrgyzstan has witnessed a troubling increase in politically motivated persecution, reflecting a broader trend of governmental repression against dissenting voices. The authorities have intensified their efforts to silence critics, including human rights defenders, journalists, and wistleblowers, utilizing an array of tactics designed to stifle free expression and limit public discourse.
His application was reviewed in light of international and national legal protections, including the 1951 Geneva Convention. On March 18, 2025, the Chisinau Court (Rîșcani branch) ordered a re-examination of his claim, instructing the General Inspectorate for Migration to assess the substantial risks he faced. This decision was upheld by the Chisinau Court of Appeal on April 22, 2025. On May 22, 2025, the Inspectorate granted Mr. Khalikov refugee status, formally recognizing the threats to his safety in Kyrgyzstan.
The refusal to extradite Mr. Khalikov represents an important victory for refugee protection and a clear stance of Moldovan authorities against politically motivated prosecutions and strict compliance with its international human rights obligations.
