Circumstances of the detention
Blogger Andrei Krindushkin was detained at Istanbul Airport while attempting to cross the border with a forged European passport. He was trying to pose as Lithuanian citizen Arunas Cvetkavicius. Turkish border guards discovered the forgery due to the mismatch of the hologram on the photograph, which became the reason for his arrest.
After the detention, Krindushkin was placed in a detention center for deportees. Turkish authorities planned to deport him to Zanzibar, where he could face a prison term of up to three years. Seeking to avoid arrest at the request of Interpol, the blogger began to simulate memory loss. He stated:
“You know, when I'm shouted at, I completely forget who I am. I really forgot who I am because you are shouting, and I'm scared.”
Using a hidden Nokia phone, Krindushkin was able to contact the Ukrainian consul in Istanbul. The consul, having understood the situation, managed to arrange for the blogger's return to Kyiv. A government representative commented on this:
“Good News, it seems you are flying to where your first stamp in the passport is... We are deporting you there.”Such cases illustrate how important the prompt work of consular services is for the protection of citizens abroad.
Position of the detainee
Andrei Krindushkin commented on what happened: “I can tell you that the Ukrainian consuls can do something a bit more humane than just following the law... He is just without these documents, with nothing... They put me there and that's it, they say: 'Fly to Ukraine.'” This incident drew attention to the problem of using fake documents and the mechanisms of consular protection. The situation also highlighted the risks faced by individuals trying to circumvent the legislation of other states, which can lead to serious legal consequences.