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1 – Overview
GOVERMENT
“’Republics such as Dagestan and Ingushetia are formally part of the Russian federation, but have long ceased to be treated as such either by Moscow or by their own inhabitants. Corruption and the failure of everyday politics have made governance in the north Caucasus completely ineffective’.“ (
Economist in CACI, 16 February 2011)
RELIGIOUS CONFLICT
“Традиционно население здесь исповедовало различные тарикаты (‚пути‘) суфийского направления в исламе.[…] С 90-х годов прошлого века в республике начало активно распространяться новое для Кавказа религиозное течение – салафизм, или фундаментальный ислам. Решающее влияние на развитие ситуации в республике оказало ещё одно важноеотличие тарикатистов от салафитов. Если первые принимают светскую власть и готовы де факто отнести религию к сфере частной жизни человека, то фундаменталисты выступают за преобладание исламских норм во всех сферах общественной жизни. […] Как было отмечено выше, напряжение между представителями суфистского и салафитского течений ислама в Дагестане усугубляется тем, что в этом конфликте власть не выступает нейтральным арбитром, а поддерживает одну сторону. Круг замыкается – дискриминация приводит к большей радикализации, действия боевиков ожесточают сотрудников милиции, которые совершают преступления против фундаменталистов.” (
Memorial, 13 April 2011, p. 3-80)
“Moreover, the rise of Islamic radicalism across the whole of the North Caucasus was only indirectly connected with Chechnya and its fight against the federal center. The first strikes between Sufi Muslims and Salafites in Dagestan were registered in 1994–1995. Already in 1997, the Sufi Islam supporters of Dagestan demanded to prohibit any Salafite activity. In December 1997, the People’s Assembly of Dagestan adopted some amendments to the republican law “On the Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations” to restrict public activity of Salafi Muslims. In 1998, the Islamic radicals attempted a coup in Makhachkala and proclaimed the “Special Islamic Territory” in the area of three Dagestani settlements later that year.” (
CSIS, 29 November 2010, p. 3)
NORTH CAUCASUS CONFLICT
Spread to Dagestan“Violence continued to spread in the North Caucasus republics, driven by separatism, interethnic conflict, jihadist movements, vendettas, criminality, and excesses by security forces. Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, and North Ossetia witnessed a significant increase in violence, while Ingushetiya, Chechnya, and Karachayevo-Cherkessia saw a decrease from the previous year.” (
USDOS, 8 April 2011, Section 1g)
“Although some Dagestani communities were the first in the North Caucasus to embrace Salafism in the beginning of the 1990s, the failed incursion of the united Dagestani-Chechen Jihadist insurgents to Western Dagestan in August 1999 largely discredited the ideology across the republic. What happened since then? First, since ‘Islamist terrorism’ was widely recognized as a primary threat to national security in 1999-2001, thousands of mostly young Dagestanis, accused of terrorism and ‘Wahhabism’, have been taken into custody by local authorities where they were often subjected to Soviet-style interrogation. Deep religiosity has been considered especially suspicious by the authorities, which have been waging full-scale war against real and alleged ‘Wahhabis’ and their sympathizers. […] As authorities have lacked enough evidence to put alleged ‘Wahhabis’ in jail, these were eventually set free following a few months of torture. Many of them never made peace with what was done to them in prisons, and have turned to violence to retaliate the humiliation. In case someone’s relative was killed or seriously wounded, their brothers, sons or cousins have pledged oaths to take revenge for the sake of family honor. As it is difficult for individuals to combat authorities on their own, many young Dagestanis have joined the insurgent movement in the mountains, where there were exposed to the basics of Salafism. […]
Likewise, many Dagestanis have joined the insurgency in protest of the societal sins, be it corruption, erosion of traditional values, inability to realize themselves professionally or in search for a better, Islamic, future for their homeland. Most importantly, membership in Jihadist groups (jamaats) has helped individual combatants to overcome ethnic, sectarian and clan-based loyalties, forging an unprecedented sense of social solidarity based on religion.“ (
CACI, 29 September 2010)
“Wichtigste Figur war lange Zeit Doku Umarow. Im Sommer 2010 wurde die Bewegung jedoch durch die Wirren um den eventuellen Rücktritt Umarows und die darauf folgende Spaltung geschwächt. Die Jamestown Foundation schätzt, dass beinahe 90 Prozent der tschetschenischen islamistischen Gruppierungen nun dem Kommando von Emir Hussein unterstehen, während ein Grossteil der dagestanischen, inguschetischen und kabardino-balkarischen «Jamaats» nach wie vor Umarow treu sind. Dieser wurde schon mehrmals totgesagt, was sich bis heute als falsch erwiesen hat. Anfang Mai 2011 ernannte Umarow persönlich Ibragimkhalil Daudow (Amir Salikh), einen 50-jährigen Afghanistan-Veteranen, zum neuen Anführer des dagestanischen Untergrundes.” (
SFH, 12 September 2011, p. 9)
“Diese ehemals in Tschetschenien aktiven Gruppen hätten sich, so hieß es, überwiegend nach Dagestan, Inguschetien und Kabardino-Balkarien zurückgezogen.“ (
Universität Bremen, 20 May 2011, p. 3)
“As a result, a regular civil war is now underway in Dagestan. Approximately 2,500 young Dagestanis are involved in the insurgency, which makes up at least a half of all North Caucasian combatants. Yet their numbers grow as more and more desperate youngsters join their ranks. Unlike neighboring Chechnya with its “normalized” public space, insurgents rely on sufficient sympathies and support from ordinary Dagestanis who are antagonized by both corrupt local authorities and increasingly violent and indiscriminate police forces.” (
CACI, 29 September 2010)
“In Dagestan, meanwhile, the insurgents are closely linked to both political clans and mafia groups, in a bewildering three-way war between Islamists, local politicians and Russian troops.” (
IWPR, 25 October 2010)
“The security situation in the North Caucasus remained volatile, with violence continuing to spread beyond Chechnya to the neighbouring regions of Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria and North Ossetia. Government authorities publicly acknowledged that measures to combat armed violence were not effective.” (
AI, 13 May 2011)
“But if the ensuing counterterrorism operation in Gimry was meant to combat such extremism by identifying militants among the locals, it did the opposite. Residents say that in addition to daily house-to-house searches, thousands of troops bristling with weapons cut down farmers' trees, killed livestock, and stole whatever they could from the very poor people who live here. Magomedov says they also shot villagers in what he calls a reign of terror. ‘So many people were killed, and no one punished for it,’ he says. […] Some villagers in Gimry say they're protesting by refusing to observe Russian law. They say they live under Shari'a law instead, or at least their understanding of it, which includes blood feuds and other forms of centuries-old traditional law.” (
RFE/RL, 4 November 2011)
Attacks and violations of human rights
“Dagestan was the deadliest region in the North Caucasus. Almost 700 persons were killed or wounded there, and nearly 150 isolated clashes involving security forces and militants took place, as did more than 100 bombings or explosions. […] Civilians suffered as a result of actions by both rebels and security personnel. In Dagestan, nine children were killed by stray gunfire during a counterterrorist operation in the village of Kirovaul in the Kizilyurt District on December 6. […] Security forces in Chechnya, Dagestan, and Ingushetiya frequently abducted or detained individuals for several days without immediate explanation or charge, according to human rights groups.” (
USDOS, 8. April 2011, Section 1g)
“Across town in an outlying, concrete-block neighborhood, Svetlana Isayeva runs the group Mothers of Daghestan for Human Rights from a tiny ground-floor office. She started the organization after her 25-year-old son disappeared from the street outside her home three years ago. A stoic, dark-haired woman, Isayeva says many young men like him are detained by security forces, especially those who attend mosques and show other signs of religious piousness. She says they're forced to confess to terrorism and often killed. ‘Lately it's become common among law enforcers to burn people alive in their cars,’ she says. ‘Then they're accused of blowing themselves up by accident.’“ (
RFE/RL, 4 November 2011)
“High numbers of law enforcement officials were killed in attacks by armed groups, who also targeted civilians indiscriminately in suicide bombings. […] According to the authorities, the number of attacks on police and government officials rose by 20 per cent, while Russian human rights organizations reported an increase in arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances. Lawyers, journalists and human rights defenders faced increased attacks and harassment.” (
AI, 13 May 2011)
“Die beinahe täglichen Überfälle auf Sicherheitskräfte, welche vor allem in Dagestan und Inguschetien weiter zugenommen haben, weisen dieselben Tendenzen auf: Einerseits finden sie immer häufiger an stark bevölkerten Orten statt, was auch zivile Opfer fordert. Andererseits werden vermehrt «prestigeträchtige» Ziele anvisiert, das heisst hohe Sicherheitsbeamte.“ (
SFH, 12 September 2011, p. 5-6)
Abductions and disappearances
“Похищения и насильственные исчезновения людей по-прежнему остаются одной из распространённых форм грубейших нарушений прав человека в Дагестане. За эти годы сложилась целая система незаконного насилия, включающая в себя неотъемлемые элементы – похищение людей, применение к ним пыток и осуществление внесудебных казней части похищенных. В Дагестане объектом похищений обычно становятся люди, исповедующие фундаменталистское направление ислама (салафизм), именно их силовики подозревают в пособничестве или причастности к вооружённому подполью. В Дагестане, как и в других республиках Северного Кавказа, нередко похищают и впоследствии убивают идеологов этого течения, тех, кому сложно предъявить официальные обвинения, но кого силовики считают «опасными». Впрочем, среди похищенных есть люди, не принадлежащие к салафитскому течению." (
Memorial, 13 April 2011, p. 28)
“In Dagestan sei hauptsächlich das eigene Innenministerium für die Verletzung der Bürgerrechte verantwortlich, erklärte Saur Gasijew von Memorial Dagestan im Frühjahr 2011,wobei er sich explizit auch auf Folter und Misshandlung bezog.“ (
SFH, 12 September 2011, p. 11)
Timeline of Attacks in Dagestan since January 2011
Please note: Although a lot of information on the Russian Federation is available in Russian language only, currently only selected Russian documents are available on ecoi.net. No Russian language publisher is currently among the sources regularly covered by ecoi.net. The following timeline therefore does not purport to be an exhaustive list of attacks in Dagestan, but shall serve as an overview and introduction to the subject.
“A total of 165 security incidents were reported in the first four months of 2011 in the North Caucasus Federal District, 78 of which were attributed to terrorism. According to the information received by the Commissioner, the security situation in the Republic of Dagestan is by far the most volatile of all the parts (federal subjects) of the North Caucasus Federal District. During the first four months of 2011, 84 security incidents were reported, many of them targeting law enforcement and other public officials. This follows on the heels of an escalating trend of violence plaguing Dagestan in the past two years, with a total of 270 incidents in 2009 and 343 in 2010.“ (
CoE-CommDH, 6 September 2011, p. 7)
“In August 2011 Jamestown Foundation referred to a July 22 2011 Memorial report [in Russian] in which Memorial stated that the casualty figures do not always translate into a correct assessment of the level of tension in a given region. For example, of the 44 servicemen killed in the North Caucasus in March-May 2011, 34 were killed in Dagestan and 6 in Ingushetia, while only two were killed in Kabardino-Balkaria and one in Chechnya.” (
DIS, 11 October 2011, p. 44) JANUARY 2011
“05.01.2011 - Bei einem Spezialeinsatz von Sicherheitskräften in Chasawjurt (Dagestan) werden vier Untergrundkämpfer getötet, darunter der sogenannte »Amir« von Chasawjurt, Ruslan Makawow. Drei Mitarbeiter der Sicherheitskräfte werden bei dem Einsatz verletzt.“ (
Universität Bremen, 28 January 2011, p. 26)
“13.01.2011 - In Machatschkala (Dagestan) werden bei einem Feuergefecht zwei Untergrundkämpfer getötet. Auf Seiten der Sicherheitskräfte wird ein Milizionär getötet, ein weiterer verletzt.“ (
Universität Bremen, 28 January 2011, p. 26)
“27.01.2011 -Adam Gusejnow, Untergrundkämpfer und Stellvertreter des Amirs von Dagestan, wird mit seiner Frau bei einem Spezialeinsatz der Sicherheitskräfte in der Nähe von Chasawjurt (Dagestan) getötet.“ (
Universität Bremen, 11 February 2011, p. 21)
FEBRUARY 2011
“14.02.2011 - In Gubden (Dagestan) werden bei Selbstmordanschlägen auf den örtlichen Polizeiposten sowie auf einen Kontrollposten zwei Angehörige der Sicherheitskräfte getötet und 27 weitere zum Teil schwer verletzt.“ (
Universität Bremen, 25 February 2011, p. 23)
MARCH 2011
“A similar incident took place in Buinaksk on March 8, when an improvised explosive device (IED) stuffed with bolts and screws detonated next to the entrance of a store in the city (Interfax, www.gazeta.ru, March 10). That same day, a large IED was found in a trash can on a street in Buinaksk and defused (www.kavkaz-uzel.ru, March 9).” (
Jamestown Fopundation, 11 March 2011)
“A grocery store was blown up in the Dagestani city of Buinaksk yesterday (March 10). The bomb hit the store around 10:00 p.m., local time. The store was partially destroyed but no one was hurt in the explosion.“ (
Jamestown Fopundation, 11 March 2011)
APRIL 2011
“11.04.2011 – Bei einem Überfall im Rajon Suntinsk (Dagestan) an der Grenze zu Georgien, werden fünf Mitarbeiter des russischen Innenministeriums getötet und sieben weitere Polizisten verletzt. Beider darauf folgenden Spezialoperation werden drei mutmaßliche Anführer der Suntinsker Untergrundkämpfer getötet. Auf ihrer Rückfahrt werden die Spezialeinheiten erneut angegriffen, zwei weitere Polizisten kommen ums Leben, drei werden verletzt." (
Universität Bremen, 20 May 2011, p. 11)
“Russian Security Forces have reported that Israpil Validzhanov, who is also known as Emir Khasan, was killed on the night of April 18. Validzhanov was appointed head of Dagestan’s Shariat Jamaat after his predecessor Magomedali Vagabov was killed in August 2010.
According to the head of the republic’s Department of Investigation, Validzhanov and three other men were stopped by officers from the Federal Security Service and the Dagestani Interior Ministry at a checkpoint outside the village of Tashkapur in central Dagestan." (
CACI, 27 April 2011)
“18.04.2011 – Bei einem Spezialeinsatz der Sicherheitskräfte in einem Vorort von Machatschkala (Dagestan) werden zwei mutmaßliche Untergrundkämpfer getötet." (
Universität Bremen, 20 May 2011, p. 11)
““[...] Gadzhiyav Gaziyev was shot dead in Daghestan along with another insurgent in a gunfight between the militants and law enforcement agents.”[...] Gaziyev was considered one of Daghestan's insurgent leaders.” (
RFE/RL, 25 April 2011)
“27.04.2011 – Bei einem Überfall durch Untergrundkämpfer werden im Rajon Sumadinsk (Dagestan) zwei Sicherheitskräfte getötet und drei weitere verletzt. Bei der darauf folgenden Spezialoperation werden drei Untergrundkämpfer getötet.
MAY 2011
“08.05.2011 – Bei Zusammenstößen zwischen Untergrundkämpfern und Sicherheitskräften im Rajon Kisljarsk (Dagestan) werden drei Kämpfer und ein Wehrdienstleistender getötet, zwei weitere Sicherheitskräfte werden verletzt.“ (
Universität Bremen, 20 May 2011, p. 8)
“[…] an officer and three rebels were killed early on May 8 when police discovered an encampment in the woods near Chechnya. […] clashes continued in the region later in the day and that seven fighters were killed in all.” (
RFE/RL, 8 May 2011)
“[…] Yakhya Magomedov, the young editor of the Avar-language version of a bi-monthly magazine that promotes a moderate vision of traditional Islam, was gunned down in northern Dagestan on 8 May. […] His murder came a week after Magomed Khanmagomedov, a correspondent for the independent weekly Chernovik, was physically attacked […] in Derbent, a city in southern Dagestan” (
RSF, 10 May 2011)
“[…] one policeman was killed and another one was injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up in the capital of Russia's restive North Caucasus republic of Daghestan on May 10.“ (
RFE/RL, 10 May 2011)
“27.05.2011 – Im Verlauf eines Spezialeinsatzes werden im Rajon Kisiljurt (Dagestan) drei mutmaßliche Untergrundkämpfer getötet. Ein Polizist kommt bei dem Einsatz ebenfalls ums Leben.“ (
Universität Bremen, 3 June 2011, p. 15)
JUNE 2011
“The rector, Maksud I. Sadikov, of the Islamic University of the North Caucasus, was shot to death in a car in Makhachkala, the capital of the Dagestan region, Russian prosecutors said. Mr. Sadikov’s bodyguard was also killed, they said.“ (
NYT, 7 June 2011)
“The imam of a rural mosque in Russia's restive North Caucasus republic of Daghestan was shot dead today. […] body of Ashurulav Kurbanov was found near the mosque in the village of Mikheyevka in the northern Kizlyar district.” (
RFE/RL, 14 June 2011)
“Russian authorities say five suspected militants and the commander of an elite police unit were killed in gunfights overnight in the North Caucasus province of Daghestan […] Rustam Radzhabov, the leader of a local insurgent group in the city of Kaspiisk was among those killed.” (
RFE/RL, 15 June 2011)
JULY 2011
“06.07.2011 - Bei einem Feuergefecht im Rajon Kisljarsk (Dagestan) werden zwei Untergrundkämpfer, darunter der Anführer des »nördlichen Untergrundkampfs« im Rajon Kisljarsk, Magomed Alijew, und ein Wehrdienstleistender getötet, ein weiterer wird verletzt. Zudem werden bei der Schießerei zwei Zivilisten getötet und sechs weitere verletzt.” (
Universität Bremen, 15 July 2011, p. 34)
“The ministry [of interior] said on July 10 that Imam Magomed Makhdiyev was shot by an unidentified assailant in the Karamakhi village mosque during evening prayer late on July 9. It is the second known murder of an imam in less than a month in Daghestan. Meanwhile a school principal was killed early on July 9 in a different region of Daghestan.” (
RFE/RE, 10 July 2011)
“Authorities say that a top commander of the OMON paramilitary police has been assassinated in Russia's Caucasus republic of Daghestan, while another policeman was killed in a clash with suspected militants in neighboring Chechnya.” (
RFE/RL, 14 July 2011)“AUGUST 2011
“Russia says its forces in the North Caucasus have killed at least six suspected militants, including an alleged top commander […] Russia's Counterterrorism Committee said on August 11 that Abdullah Magomedaliyev was among those killed in what was described as a special operation in Daghestan's capital, Makhachkala.” (
RFE/RL, 12 August 2011)
SEPTEMBER 2011
“04.09.2011 - Spezialeinheiten töten Ibragim Muchutschewa, genannt Abu Umar, den Anführer der Untergrundkämpfer in Chasawjurt (Dagestan). Bei dem Einsatz wird auch seine Frau getötet.” (
Universität Bremen, 23 September 2011, p. 19)
“18.09.2011 Im Rajon Babajurtowsk (Dagestan) werden bei einer Spezialoperation der Anführer der Untergrundkämpfer im Rajon Chasawjurts sowie seine Frau getötet. Ein Militärangehöriger wird bei dem Einsatz verletzt. Am Abend wird in der dagestanischen Hauptstadt Machatschkala ein Oberleutnant des FSB erschossen.” (
Universität Bremen, 23 September 2011, p. 22)
“Twin explosions killed a police officer and injured dozens of others as well as civilians in Russia's southern city of Makhachkala, officials said Thursday. […] ‘A police lieutenant died, and about 60 people went to the hospital,’ he said.” (
AFP, 22 September 2011)
“23.09.2011 - Bei einem Überfall am Rande von Machatschkala (Dagestan) werden der Stellvertretende Leiter des Föderalen Strafvollzugsdienstes in Dagestan, dessen Tochter und Neffe sowie deren Fahrer getötet.” (
Universität Bremen, 7 October 2011, p. 25)
“One policeman and seven civilians were killed when a car bomb exploded in Russia's Muslim North Caucasus province of Dagestan on Wednesday, authorities and local media said. Three car bombs killed six people and gunmen killed four more, including a high-level law enforcement official, last week in the region wedged between Chechnya and the Caspian Sea.” (
AlertNet, 28 September 2011)
OCTOBER 2011
“A Sufi sheikh has been shot dead at his home in a village in southeastern part of the Russian republic of Daghestan, RFE/RL's North Caucasus Service reports. […] Israfilov's brother said he was shot dead at close range on October 27 in the village of Khurik by two men in camouflage clothes who entered the yard of his home.” (
RFE/RL, 29 October 2011)
NOVEMBBER 2011
“An assistant to the imam of a local mosque has been shot dead in western Daghestan near the border with Chechnya, RFE/RL's North Caucasus Service reports. Akhmed Osmanov was reportedly an advocate of dialogue with Muslim radicals. He was returning home from the mosque in the village of Matsal-Aul, in the Khasavyurt district, late on November 12 when he was killed. Osmanov was the seventh member of the Muslim clergy to be gunned down in the Caucasus this year.” (
RFE/RL, 14 November 2011)
DECEMBBER 2011
“On December 2, four gunmen driving in a Lada-Priora car opened fire on a group of policemen on the outskirts of the village of Nizhnie Bukhty in Dagestan’s Kizlyar district. None of the policemen was hurt, but one of the attackers was killed when the police fired back, while the other three attackers managed to escape.” (
Jamestown Foundation, 9 December 2011)“Yesterday (December 8), one policeman was killed and five other people were wounded when unidentified gunmen fired on police in Dagestan’s Kizlyar district.”(
Jamestown Foundation, 9 December 2011)“12.12.2011- Bei einer Spezialoperation der Sicherheitskräfte werden im Rayon Chasawjurt (Dagestan) drei Untergrundkämpfer getötet. Darunter der mutmaßliche Anführer der ‚Chasawjurter Bande‘.”(
Universität Bremen, 16 December 2011, p. 25)“In a separate incident, insurgents killed a senior police investigator in a road ambush in the Caspian Sea port of Kaspiisk.” (
RFE/RL, 14 December 2011)“Gadzhimurad Kamalov, founder and publisher of Dagestan’s leading independent weekly, Chernovik, was killed close to midnight on December 15, 2011, in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan.” (
HRW, 16 December 2011)JANUARY 2012
“On January 11, a Russian Interior Ministry Internal Troops serviceman was wounded and a rebel was killed in a shootout near the village of Bolshaya Arshevka in Dagestan’s Kizlyar district. […] Also on January 11, one police bomb disposal expert was killed and ten other policemen were wounded while trying to defuse a huge IED discovered in Dagestan’s Kizilyurt district, on the side of the road along a section of the Kavkaz federal highway two kilometers from the village of Komsomolskoe.” (
Jamestown Foundation, 13 January 2012)“On January 14, a Federal Security Service (FSB) warrant officer was shot and killed in the capital Makhachkala. The officer was reportedly killed by a lone shooter armed with a pistol (Interfax, January 14). […] In yet another incident on January 14, a militant was killed in a shootout with security forces on the outskirts of the village of Bolshaya Areshevka in Dagestan’s Kizlyar district. The slain rebel was identified as Ruslan Sagidkhadzhiev, the main bomb specialist for the rebel group operating in the Kizlyar district (www.newsru.com, January 14).” (
Jamestown Foundation, 20 January 2012)
SOURCES: (all links accessed 25 January 2012)
· AFP - Agence France-Presse: Twin blasts in Russia kill policeman, injure dozens, 22 September 2011 (published on ReliefWeb) [ID 202457]
http://reliefweb.int/node/448395· CACI - Central Asia-Caucasus Institute: Russian policies in the North Caucasus fuel a new generation of insurgents, 16 February 2011 [ID 159216]
http://cacianalyst.org/?q=node/5496 · CoE-CommDH - Council of Europe - Commissioner for Human Rights: Report by Thomas Hammarberg Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Following his visit to the Russian Federation from 12 to 21 May 2011 [CommDH(2011)21], 6 September 2011 (available at ecoi.net) [ID 201041]
http://www.ecoi.net/file_upload/1226_1315306231_com-instranet.pdf· Memorial Human Rights Center: «Новый курс» Магомедова? Ситуация c правами человека и попытки консолидации общества в Республике Дагестан. Март 2010 – март 2011 г., 13 April 2011 [ID 162416]
http://www2.memo.ru/uploads/files/545.pdfThis featured topic was prepared after researching solely on ecoi.net and within time constraints. It is meant to offer an overview on an issue and is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status, asylum or other form of international protection. Every quotation comes from a document available on ecoi.net and is referred to via an ID-search.