ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The dead body of a Kurdish migrant who had made a perilous journey along with dozens to reach the European Union from Russia and was tortured to death by Latvian border guards around three weeks ago has not yet been repatriated to the Kurdistan Region.

 

“The 25 people, including two Arab nationals from Basra, entered Russia in October on tourist visas. They have received visas at the Russian consulate in Basra,” Danar Abu Bakir, KRG representative in Moscow, told The New Region on Wednesday, adding “they were deceived by human smugglers that it was easy to reach Europe from Russia.”

 

Shortly after they arrived in Moscow, the 25 migrants left the country and travelled to Belarus, and from there, they attempted to cross to Latvia.

 

“Unfortunately, they witnessed severe tortures, and one of them was tortured to death,” by the Latvia border guards, Abu Bakir said. “The dead body will be repatriated to the Kurdistan Region as soon as possible once the procedures have concluded."

 

“The Latvian commando had forcefully deported them to Belarus, and Belarus deported them to Russia, “ the Kurdish official said.

 

Pushing back migrants who enter the European Union's territories is illegal, according to the bloc's regulations and international laws. 

 

Abu Bakir went on to detail that the migrants have been imprisoned by the Russian government since "they have illegally crossed another country from Russia, using the country’s visa.” 

 

“The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in corodination with the Iraqi embassy will do our best to help accelerate their trials and then their deportations,” Abu Bakir said, noting that this process though may take time.