Austria deports Chechens who risk recruitment in Ukraine war

Austria is deporting Chechen asylum seekers on security grounds back to Russia, where they risk being forcibly recruited to fight in the Ukraine war, court documents seen by AFP show.

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Authorities say they pose a “state security” threat but rights groups say their deportation is a violation of international law.

Amnesty International has repeatedly urged European countries to halt the expulsion of asylum seekers and refugees from the Muslim-majority republic in Russia, saying it “violates international human rights obligations”.

Chechen exiles say they are unfairly associated with religious extremism.

Austria this year expelled two Chechens who had applied for asylum after receiving summons to report to the Russian military for conscription.

Vienna argued that they were not under a “credible” threat of being drafted.