MP Ursa Raukar-Gamulin of the green-left Mozemo! platform on Thursday called for the immediate release of Aysoltan Niyazov from custody, the cessation of extradition proceedings against her and for treating her as a political victim of her country's regime.

Niyazov is an activist and member of the band Pussy Riot who was arrested on the Croatian-Slovenian border on a Turkmenistani warrant for alleged embezzlement while travelling to Zagreb for a gig.

Raukar-Gamulin said that despite her clear status as a dissident and politically persecuted person, Croatia was keeping Niyazov in extradition custody based on a warrant issued more than 15 years ago.

‘We are keeping one of Putin’s most vocal opponents in custody’

“Croatia did not apologise to her like the Slovenian judge but insists on procedure, which is horrible and shameful. On the one hand you have unreserved support to Ukraine in the fight for freedom against the Putin regime and on the other, you keep one of Putin’s most vocal opponents in custody. We are pretending to be a law-based state. Hypocritical, pitiful and cowardly,” the MP said.

She warned that Turkmenistan was one of the world’s worst dictatorships notorious for the persecution, imprisonment and murder of members of the opposition or anyone who dares speak up against state oppression.

Raukar-Gamulin also recalled that Niyazov’s father, an opposition politician, was killed in 2000 and that she had to flee the country.

Amnesty International urged Croatia on Wednesday to release Niyazov, who was arrested on an Interpol warrant and faces possible extradition to Turkmenistan.