Amriddin Kholmurodov. (source: FB/Občiansky výbor na záchranu rukojemníkov a politických väzňov v Tadžikistane)
It has been over a year since Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (Hlas) told the press that a dangerous terrorist from Tajikistan had been detained in Slovakia. At the time, he indirectly linked the man to the attack on a concert hall in Russia.
“He’s not an ordinary chap,” the minister said in March 2024, describing the individual, Amriddin Kholmurodov, as “a high-risk and dangerous person with aggressive behaviour.” The man was believed to have connections to ISIS, which claimed responsibility for the attack.
Since then, Kholmurodov has been released due to issues with his extradition, and then detained. According to the daily Sme, he was released and re-detained this March again. The state has so far been unable to deport him, nor has it proven that he is a terrorist. His current detention is set to last until September this year.
New documents
Kholmurodov entered Slovakia in 2022 during the wave of migration that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He was arrested under an international warrant issued by Tajikistan. In January 2024, a Slovak court rejected the extradition request, after which the man travelled to Germany—only to be detained and returned to Slovakia in March, when the interior minister publicly commented on his case.
As Slovakia has been unable to find a country willing to accept Kholmurodov, his detention was repeatedly extended. In December 2024, however, the Supreme Administrative Court rejected another extension and ordered his release. Kholmurodov then applied for asylum, but was detained again. After filing a complaint, the Košice Administrative Court ordered his release, which took place in March. However, police detained him again soon afterwards, arguing that his continued presence was necessary to verify information related to his asylum request, and citing the risk that he might run. He has since filed another complaint.
According to Sme, the Košice Administrative Court has now rejected his latest complaint, referencing two documents.
One of the documents is classified as "confidential". The other, dated 19 February, comes from the SIRENE National Bureau, which coordinates the exchange of police information within the Schengen area. It refers to a record created in Paris on 25 April 2022, stating that Kholmurodov is banned from entering and residing in the city for 40 years due to “connections to a radical Islamist movement” and posing “a risk to public safety”. The record also includes the word “aggressive”. This is likely the document referred to by the interior minister.
Claims to be a victim
In court, Kholmurodov denied any links to terrorism or extremist activity. He also said he had never been to France and rejected claims of aggressive behaviour.
“I’ve never been a terrorist or an extremist. All I’ve done is support a political party that fights for freedom and democracy in my country. Tajikistan is under a totalitarian regime, and I’m one of its victims. Everything the government says about me is fabricated. Their goal is to make European countries fear me and restrict my movement. That’s why they issued a false arrest warrant,” he told the court.
In its ruling, the court said it had no reason to question the information the police used to justify Kholmurodov’s detention. He has the right to appeal the decision at the Supreme Administrative Court.
