On July 29, 2014 Nicolay KOBLYAKOV, activist of a Paris-based NGO Russie-Libertés, was detained at the airport in Sofia, Bulgaria. He faces extradition to Russia and prison.

Nicolay KOBLYAKOV is an active member of the association Russie-Libertés. He is a very engaged activist, as well as a member of the consulting board of the association, and has helped organise numerous demonstrations standing for freedom and human rights in Russia. In addition to activism, Nicolay KOBLYAKOV is engaged in a social field, his particular interest lies in services for elderly. Nicolay holds dual Russian and French nationality.

He was arrested on July 29, 2014 in Sofia, Bulgaria due to an extradition request from Russia. Today the reasons for the extradition request are unknown. Nevertheless, whatever reason is behind, his open engagement in activism and fight for human rights may lead to a major risk for Nicolay, if extradited to Russia. Due to the current situation, activists for freedom and human rights in Russia are frequently exposed to ruthless accusations provoked by political motives, that often rusult in unfair trials, arbitrary sentences and ill-treatment in detention.

That is why we appeal to Bulgarian authorities not to extradite Nicolay KOBLYAKOV to Russia, as there is no guarantee that his treatment in Russia will satisfy the requirements of the European Convention on Human Rights, which Bulgaria, being a  member state of the EU, is a party of. We also appeal to Bulgarian authorities to offer Political Asylum for Nicolay KOBLYAKOV.

We also ask the French authorities to mobilize their diplomatic means to prevent the extradition of Nicolay KOBLYAKOV, a French citizen, to Russia.