Death Awaits

This post started off at The Altered States Of Munley

Author’s Note:

The entire story of the Bulatov Family is long, twisted, and very confusing at times. The following article is my attempt to condense everything into a more streamlined account of the events that led them to the dire situation that they find themselves in right now.

You can read Mikhail Bulatov’s testimony in support of his asylum HERE.

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”  – Edmund Burke

Andre Bulatov (left) & Mikhail Bulatov (right)

Here in the United States of America, we pride ourselves on being enlightened in the ways of liberty and justice. We presume that those who are accused of a crime are innocent until proven guilty. We guarantee a speedy & fair trial in which the accused have the right to face their accusers in a court of law.

Why then, as a country, are we about to deport a man and his family to certain death based on nothing more than trumped-up charges which said man has already been convicted of – and sentenced for – even though he was not even present for his supposed trial?

Mikhail Bulatov’s story is far from straightforward. There are so many twists and turns that I cannot possibly cover everything of significance here. In short, Bulatov was a successful businessman in his native Kazakhstan, and it was this success which proved to be his downfall much more so than his salvation.

In 1988, Bulatov opened a construction firm in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan. He did well with this venture and – sometime in 1992 or 1993 – went on to purchase a shopping complex from an open government auction. There was no way he could have known it at the time, but it was the purchase of this property that would bring a world of trouble his way.

In fact, in Bulatov’s own words, the trouble started almost immediately. With the purchase of the property finalized, and with construction underway, the criminal element began to come out of the shadows. Representatives of various street gangs – which easily outnumbered legitimate businesses at that time – came to see Bulatov with offers of ‘friendship’ as well as ‘protection’ from possible trouble.

Bulatov rebuffed their offers with assurances that he was having no trouble at all. That is when the offers of friendship turned to threats, and the possible trouble he would need protection from became a reality.

His car was burned twice, the windows in his new stores were shattered, and he was beaten and stabbed in the chest. Like any scared citizen, Bulatov went to the police whose job – supposedly – is to protect the victims of such brazen crime. The police offered no help at all.

Scared, and with nowhere to turn, Bulatov agreed to pay protection money to the gangsters who were terrorizing him. With the money paid, the threats and the violence against him stopped. He was able to go about his business, but this period of peace in his life was short-lived.

Soon, the rival gangs began to war with one another for greater influence in the area. Once again, Bulatov was visited & threatened. Each gang wanted more and more money from him, and he was soon paying protection money to numerous factions just so he could run his business without criminal interference. It was his hope that the political climate in Kazakhstan would stabilize and the law enforcement agencies would do their duty & clean up the out-of-control criminal element. It never happened.

In 1995, Bulatov made the decision to send his family to the United States in order to protect them from the escalating violence that had unfortunately become the norm in his everyday life.

With his family now far away and safe, and undeterred by the violence all around him, Bulatov began renovation on a large market in 1996. And soon after that he was hard at work developing a second market on an empty plot of land. Things seemed to finally be going his way, and it was for that reason that Bulatov surely thought nothing of the visit he received from representatives of the regional administration in 1997.

These representatives inquired about Bulatov’s interest in acquiring a large shopping center which consisted of two large stores, a restaurant, and a café. He initially declined, telling the representatives that he was completely tapped out in regards to money. He had only recently paid of the loans he took out to finance his first endeavor in 1988, and much of the rest of his funds were tied up in the renovation and building of the latest two markets. Aside from the fact that the money wasn’t available, the properties that the representatives were trying to unload on him were buried in debt and any purchase would involve the repayment of those debts. Bulatov just could not see the upside to their offer.

The representatives assured him that they were in a position to do whatever was necessary to help sweeten the deal for someone who was considered a successful, independent business owner who did not send his profits overseas. Bulatov fit the bill. So, when the representatives offered to provide generous government-endorsed help in obtaining the credit needed to purchase these high-profit businesses… Bulatov jumped at the chance. He should have run.

Soon after Bulatov took on these additional properties – with the help of his government – he was approached by a man named Hussein Saleh. This man presented himself as an importer, and signed a contract with Bulatov to use some of his empty space as a warehouse for his cigarette distribution business. These two meetings – with both the representatives of the regional administration and Mr. Hussein Saleh – combined to destroy Bulatov’s life.

Hussein Saleh turned out to be nothing more than yet another criminal. The cigarettes that he was supposedly selling legally were actually stolen, and the people whom he was stealing from tracked down Bulatov & he was threatened once more.

These shadow people – eventually identified as members of the violent Brothers Yermolaev gang – demanded that he share his business with them in order to ‘repay’ them for doing business with Saleh, the man who ripped them off. Again, Bulatov refused to bend. He told them that they would have to take their concerns up with Hussein Saleh as he – Bulatov – had simply leased him the space in which the cigarettes were being stored, and that he had absolutely nothing to do with Saleh’s business itself. These men simply informed Bulatov that they were not suggesting this arrangement, but rather that they were demanding it. He had no choice.

The Yermolaev gang apparently did take up their concerns with Hussein Selah as he – and several others who were later revealed to be a part of his operation – were found murdered. Within days, Mikhail Bulatov was brought into custody under suspicion that he had collaborated with Hussein in his illegal enterprise. These are accusations that Bulatov to this day – and under threat of extreme violence & death – has maintained to be absolutely false.

Whether the charges were false or not had no impact with the officials in Kazakhstan. He was detained for over a month even though there was no evidence against him other than the “suspicion” of the police & other officials. Bulatov was soon enlightened as to who was really behind his ridiculous imprisonment when he received a visit from the Brothers Yermolaev gang. Blatantly, boldly the gang brought Bulatov to a private room. Once inside the room, the gang smugly reminded Bulatov of the reason why he was in his current situation… because he would not “share” his profitable, legitimate business with them.

The following weeks brought daily torture and terror for Bulatov. He was beaten by guards in private rooms. His nose was broken and his head beaten so severely that he still has trouble remembering specific things & suffers through extreme headaches to this day. He was subjected to a method of torture known in Kazakhstan as the “slona” which translates to the “elephant”.

The “slona” is a method of torture in which a rubber gas mask is fastened around the face of the victim. The gas masks that are used have a long rubber tube – like the trunk of an elephant – that stretch from the front of the mask to the rear of the head. During the “slona” method, the intake from the rubber hose – which is supposed to be a means for clean air to be breathed while using the mask properly – was blocked so that Bulatov could not breathe at all. When he would begin to struggle for air, the guards would unblock the intake and blow cigarette smoke into the hose until he would lose consciousness. After reviving him, the guards continued on with the torture. When Bulatov – screaming in fear – asked the guards why they were doing this to him, what they wanted from him, they responded that they wanted nothing at all. They were doing this to make a very important point; no matter how successful he’d become in business, they could do whatever they wanted to him. After these “slona” sessions Bulatov would always regain consciousness back in his cell unaware of exactly how long he’d been out.

During his time of imprisonment, Bulatov was visited one night by Colonel Nurgaliev. During this visit, Nurgaliev told Bulatov that his innocence in regards to the illegal activities for which he was being detained was known. Bulatov was told that only true Kazakhs could be “owners” of property in this society, and since Bulatov was a Russian-Jew that he would never be a true Kazakh. In short, he was basically informed that he was being detained under false charges because he was a Russian-Jew who had made something of himself.

Close to a month after his detainment began – on nothing more than suspicion – Bulatov was visited by a mysterious man. This man did not give his name, rank, or anything of the like. His power, however, was evident as the guards treated him with a great deal of respect & in fact almost reverence. During the visit, Bulatov was asked if he he’d had sufficient time to think things over & come to proper conclusions.

The following is Mikhail Bulatov’s personal account of that meeting:

“He asked me whether I had time to think and come to appropriate conclusions.  I told him that even under the threat of death I’m not going to confess to a murder that I didn’t commit, will not turn over my business, (and I) will not work for them…

To that the man replied that I shouldn’t be afraid of death just yet, because they need me alive and that my confession is not required.  He said that, should they decide, they can imprison me for as long as they want, even for life—regardless of whether I confess to any crimes or not—because they have more than enough methods to do so.  He said that I don’t understand the seriousness of my situation. On examples, such as mine, they will show to everyone who tries to be independent, or who tries to oppose their power and rule and fight it.  To all the slaves to what end their actions will lead them, that in this country everyone must submit to their rules and demands…

He said that right now this is a local case, but if I don’t reconsider and submit to their demands they will make this case of national and possibly international.  He also assured me that I have his word that sooner or later they will get to my family, unless I change my mind and submit to all of their demands.  As he said, “Your own death is not the worst thing that can happen—it is quick.  We will see how you feel when we have your family.  Killing you is easy, but you know well that a good master does not kill their slaves, it is not profitable.  A good slave is worth a lot, and an obedient slave is an example to others.  You will be an example, either you submit and be an example or we will punish you and make you an example, your choice.”

He told me that right now they don’t need my confession, that the investigation will soon be finished and I’ll be let out, however, all the questions will remain open, that this is not our last conversation and he warned me to keep quiet.”

Almost immediately after the above meeting was held, Bulatov was unceremoniously released from jail. Not once throughout his detainment did he go before a judge. His detainment was never justified or explained. In short, he was pulled off the street, held against his will, tortured, threatened, and humiliated all with the goal of destroying this independent business owner. To make an example of him. It worked.

While imprisoned, his business holdings were completely destroyed. The properties that were doing so well just a month previous were no longer his. They had been sold out from under him while he was detained in prison. His personal apartment had been broken into, burglarized, and trashed. Mikhail Bulatov was left with nothing.

On top of that, Bulatov was constantly reminded of the threats & promises made to him while he was imprisoned. Members of the Brothers Yermolaev gang would linger outside of his home and point out the fact that Colonel Nurgaliev had made a promise to always find him.

Now truly terrified for his life, Bulatov made the decision to flee. He filed papers with the intent to immigrate into Israel. He was approved, but instead of going to Israel, Bulatov went to Russia – where he was followed by his tormentors – and from there he fled to the United States where he was finally reunited with his family.

The reunion was sweet, but the bliss was shattered nonetheless.

On April 2nd, 2010 the Bulatov household here in the United States of America was raided at 4:30am by the FBI and other agents. His son Andre* recounted his terror when he made the following statement to GonzoTimes.com:

“A dozen+ FBI agents and US marshals busted through our apartment door with giant 12-guage shotguns in our faces, screaming “GET DOWN ON THE GROUND!” “Huh?” I said in a sleepy daze, “Who are you… ” “GET THE F**K DOWN ON THE GROUND! NOW, ON YOUR FACE!”

During that early morning raid there were two warrants served. The first warrant was issued from Kazakhstan. The second was issued through Interpol under the direction of Kazakhstan. Both warrants offered conflicting statements, and the details on each document clashed.

The Bulatov family is now facing deportation to a hostile country that - via the use of false accusations & forced confessions – has taken advantage of the goodwill of Interpol & the U.S. and has effectively put them in the position of doing their dirty work.

The Bulatov’s are in need of help. The legal advice they have received thus far has been amateurish at best. The U.S. judge who presided over the first hearing for asylum ignored a mountain of evidence that would have freed Mikhail & discredited everything the Kazakhstan government has accused him of – with no proof.

The Bulatov’s – through Mikhail’s son, Andre – are reaching out for the help of the American people. They are asking that we spread the word. It is their hope that if enough people learn of their story & make some waves about it that the mountain of evidence will at least be considered during their next – and final – hearing.

I’ll leave you with this, a line spoken to Mikhail Bulatov during his meeting with the mysterious man while he was still falsely imprisoned… This man promised to make Mikhail’s case an international one & also to find and do harm to his family.

“Your own death is not the worst thing that can happen—it is quick.  We will see how you feel when we have your family.  Killing you is easy, but you know well that a good master does not kill their slaves, it is not profitable.  A good slave is worth a lot, and an obedient slave is an example to others.  You will be an example, either you submit and be an example or we will punish you and make you an example, your choice.”

We cannot allow this to happen. We cannot allow a family to be deported to their certain death.

- JM

* Mikhail’s son, Andre, is in possession of thousands of documents that prove that his father is not guilty of the charges being brought against him by the government of Kazakhstan, charges that have only been brought against him in order to have him handed back over to them. These documents – many of which have been validated by recent Wikileaks documents – have been ignored by U.S. judges overseeing the deportation case & the family’s asylum hearings.