Omar Abdulayev
Omar Hamzayavich Abdulayev | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 11, 1978 Tajikistan |
| Other names | Muhammadi Davlatov |
| Occupation | Former detainee |
| Known for | Detention at Guantanamo Bay |
Omar Hamzayavich Abdulayev, who is also identified as Muhammadi Davlatov, was born on October 11, 1978, and holds Tajikistani citizenship. He was subjected to extrajudicial confinement at the United States' detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Abdulayev was brought to Guantanamo on February 9, 2002, and later relocated to Serbia on July 11, 2016.
Background
A profile by the Miami Herald states that Abdulayev escaped the civil conflict in Tajikistan in 1991 when he was 13 years old. Journalist Carol Rosenberg described him as a compliant detainee who took part in all annual review hearings and did not engage in hunger strikes. In 2009, the Obama administration ceased labeling him as an enemy combatant. Even after being cleared for release, Abdulayev chose to stay at Guantanamo rather than return to Tajikistan, fearing potential torture.
Habeas corpus petition
A habeas corpus petition was submitted on Abdulayev’s behalf. The petition contended that he would face torture if sent back to his home country, leading to a court order preventing his repatriation. In 2008, his case was combined with others under case number 05-CV-2386 before US District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton. On December 29, 2008, Allison M. Lefrak submitted confidential information under seal related to his case.
Transfer considerations
According to Carol Rosenberg’s reporting, Abdulayev expressed a desire to remain at Guantanamo due to apprehension about returning to Tajikistan. His attorney, Matthew J. O'Hara, explained that Abdulayev fled Tajikistan for Afghanistan at age 13. Abdulayev reported that Tajikistani security agents offered his release if he agreed to spy on Muslim militants but threatened consequences when he declined.
On June 3, 2009, Department of Justice representatives notified Judge Walton they would no longer argue for his classification as an enemy combatant. In November 2009, O'Hara told National Public Radio that Abdulayev’s fear of repatriation was intensified by the disappearance of his family from a Pakistani refugee camp following his capture in 2001. O'Hara also mentioned that Abdulayev’s father died in 1994 while attempting to return to Tajikistan and that other detainees from Tajikistan received lengthy prison sentences after being sent back.
Media sources reported that a detainee identified as "Muhammadi Davlatov" was transferred to Serbia on July 11, 2016, together with Yemeni detainee Mansur Ahmad Saad al-Dayfi.
External links
- Who Are the Remaining Prisoners in Guantánamo? Part Five: Captured in Pakistan (1 of 2) Andy Worthington, September 29, 2010
- Obama’s Failure To Deliver Justice To The Last Tajik In Guantánamo Andy Worthington, July 21, 2009