Feb 192009
 

Appeal

Independent HRDs from Uzbekistan are worried and anxious about the news they are receiving about the dreadful situation in which prisoners of conscience find themselves in their places of detention. Many of them are being bullied by fanatical staff from penal colonies, and the tyrannical supervisors in the prisons subject them to all sorts of provocations. They do not receive medical assistance in time, and on many occasions their relatives have been denied permission to see them for various far-fetched reasons.

Thus in the summer of 2008 Abdurasul Khudainazarov, a HRD from Angren, could no longer bear the taunts and pressures from his supervisors and tried to take his own life.

The prominent Uzbek poet Yusuf Zhuma (Zhumaev) has been bullied and tortured by the head of the 1st division of penal colony UYA64/71(Jaslyk) Kakhramon Prinarov. On many occasionsYusuf Zhuma has been put in solitary confinement for fabricated reasons.

Alisher Karamatov, a HRD from Syrdarin, is in a very bad situation. It was only after the wider community became aware that he was ill with a severe form of tuberculosis (he is coughing up blood and pieces of his lungs) that he was put into Sangorod. He had long been entitled to an amnesty for reasons of age, health and the fabricated criminal case that was taken against him. But the head of penal colony UYA 64-49 colonel Sabirdjan Kalandarov, on whom Karamatov’s amnesty depended, categorically refused to release him, saying that Karamatov would only leave that place dead.

In Uzbekistan amnesties are given to criminals who have carried out serious economic crimes and cost the economy of the country many millions. In some cases amnesties are given to criminals who have committed very grave crimes, and it could actually be dangerous for citizens of the country if they were to remain at large.  But HRDs and members of the opposition are tried on fabricated economic charges and are kept in prisons like political prisoners and implacable enemies of the state. Frequently they are not given amnesty. Some of them are released under amnesty but only when our state wants to show its merciful character before a visit from a representative of a foreign country or an influential international organisation.

Norboi Kholjigitov, Khabibulla Akpulatov, Azam Farmonov, Alisher Karamatov, Abdurasul Khudaibergenov, Nasim Isakov, Isak Abdullaev, Solijon Abdurakhmanov, Agzam Turgunov, and other HRDs and members of the opposition were sentenced on falsified economic charges. But in their places of detention they are all considered enemies of the state. On the threshold of amnesty they were all subjected to far-fetched monetary sanctions so there could be a reason not to include them in the list of amnestied prisoners.

Norboi Kholjigitov, who is diabetic, has lost all his teeth and half his body weight, should automatically have been given amnesty because he was over a certain age, according to the amnesty for the anniversary of Mustakillik (Independence) in September 2008. But he was given several trivial reprimands (he folded his blanket the wrong way, or he looked at the supervisor the wrong way, etc etc) and he was refused amnesty.

This year the member of the opposition Murod Juraev’s prison sentence is due to end. (UYA 64/48). Earlier, in 2006, when his previous sentence was due to end, it was extended by 3 years and 2 months. What awaits him this time?

We also want to highlight the fate of the independent journalist Jamshid Karimov. He is being detained in a Samarkand psychiatric hospital since September 2006 for forced treatment. To date neither HRDs, nor others have been able to get news about the state of his health.

In connection with this, we independent HRDs from Uzbekistan demand that the relevant authorities from the Uzbekistan GUIN (Main Department of Corrections) give an official report about the health of the prisoners on the list below. We demand that staff from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent be given access to these prisoners.

We demand that the relevant authorities in the Samarkand psychiatric hospital give information about the health of Jamshid Karimov, who is a patient of that hospital.

From the Public Prosecutor of Uzbekistan we demand that an investigation be carried out on all indications of the use of torture and harassment of prisoners in penal colonies and prisons of Uzbekistan. We want a separate investigation of investigators who allow torture to be used during investigations of convicted citizens.

From the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan we demand punishment and just verdicts against staff of the law machinery who have carried out the above-mentioned human rights abuses and crimes in the course of their work.

Our demand will be sent to:
– The Main Department of Corrections, the Public Prosecutor, the Supreme Court, to the Ombudsman of the Republic of Uzbekistan under the Oliy Majlis, to the National Centre for Human Rights, to the Oliy Majlis (Senate) of the republic, to the office of the President.

– to international humanitarian authorities:

The Special Representative of the UN General Secretary on the position of HRDs;
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights;
The UN Human Rights Council;
The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture;
Human Rights Watch (HRW) – International organisation for the defence of human rights;
The international human rights organisation ‘Freedom House’
Amnesty International;
Frontline- international human rights organisation
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Organisation;
FIDH – International Federation of Human Rights;
OMCT – World Organisation Against Torture;
ACAT  –  International Organisation for the Abolition of Torture.

List of HRDs, members of opposition parties and other dissidents from Uzbekistan who are in places of detention:

Norboi Kholjigitov, born 1950, HRD, sentenced in November 2005 to 10 years on false charges. At present in UYA 64/49, Karshi. Diabetic, losing his sight, lost 35kg, has pain in his legs.
Khabibulla Akpulatov, born 1950. Sentenced to 6 years in the same case as Kholjigitov.
Isroiljon Kholdorov, born 1951. HRD and member of opposition party. Sentenced to 6 years on falsified charges. Second-group invalid, poor situation, at present in UYA  64/29, Navoi.
Azam Farmonov, born 1978. HRD and member of opposition party. After numerous provocations against him, in 2006 he was sentenced on falsified charges to 9 years. Is in UYA 64/71, Jaslyk, is subjected to harsh torture and harassment.
Alisher Karomatov, born 1968. HRD. Sentenced to 9 years. Is in UYA 64/49, Karshi. Has a serious form of TB. Is exhausted and being subjected to torture and harassment. Is being given a course of treatment in Sangorod.
Nasim Isakov, born 1966.  HRD. Arrested 27.10.2005. On 20.12.05 the Jizak municipal criminal court sentenced him to 8 years imprisonment. Is in UYA 64/3, Tavaksai.
Abdurasul Khudainzarov, born 1956. Sentenced to 9.6 years in December 2006. Is subjected to torture in the colony, in summer 2008 he attempted suicide.
Murod Zhuraev, born 1952, member of opposition party, former mayor of the town of Mubarek, sentenced in 1994 to 12 years, imprisoned since then, last time sentenced in 2006 to 3 years and 2 months. At present is in colony UYA 64/48 (Zaravshan).
Yusuf Zhuma, born 1951. National poet. Sentenced in April 2008 to 5 years for demanding the president’s resignation. Is in UYA 64/71 in Jaslyk. Is subjected to torture and harassment.
Mashrab Zhumaev, son of the political prisoner Yusuf Zhumaev. Farmer, second-group invalid. On 11.03.08 sentenced to 4 years. Current location unknown.
Rashid Bekjanov, born 1959, member of opposition party, sentenced in 1999 to 12 years. At present in colony UYA 64/46 (Navoi). State of health is precarious. In 2008 he was subjected to harsh torture, all of his teeth were knocked out and he was ‘hidden’ in the punishment isolation cell three times.
Mukhamadjon Bekjanov, born 1954, member of opposition party, sentenced in 1999 to 12 years, has a serious form of TB and is in colony UYA 64/61 (Kasan, Kashkadarin oblast’).
Mamadali Makhmudov, born 1940, writer, chairperson of the Uzbekistan Cultural Foundation. Sentenced for the first time on 30.12.94 to four years. Released on amnesty on 09.08.96. Arrested once again on 19.02.99. By order of the Tashkent Regional Court of 18.08.99 he was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment. Is in colony UYA 64/6 (Chirchik, Tashkent oblast’). His detention is top secret. State of health unknown.
Yusubboi Ruzimurodov, born 1958, journalist, member of opposition party. By order of Tashkent Regional Court sentenced to 15 years imprisonment on 18.08.99. At present is in colony UYA 64/46 (Navoi).
Samandar Kukanov, born 1945, former member of the Uzbekistan parliament, former director of a petroleum storage depot, member of opposition party, in prison since 1993, sentenced to 20 years. At present in colony UYA 64/48 (Zarafshan).
Isak Abdullaev, born 1935, entrepreneur, critic of the government, sentenced on false charges in October 2005 to 10 years. State of health precarious.
Gairat Mikhlibaev, journalist, in UYA 64-48
Rukhiddin Fakhriddinov, religious figure, in September 2006 sentenced to 17 years, is in UYA 64/01. State of health unknown.
Akram Yuldashev, religious figure, in May 1999 sentenced to 17 years
Sanjar Umarov, born 1956. Leader and founder of the coalition for economic and political reforms ‘Serkuesh Uzbekistonim’. On 6th March 2006 sentenced to 10.5 years. Clear signs of psychiatric disturbance have been observed. Is being detained at present in Tavaksai colony, is being observed by staff of the National Security Service.
Madmarov Abdulla, born 1972,  sentenced for religious views, on suspicion of belonging to Khizbut-ut-Takhrir.
Madmarov Khabibulla, born 1974,  sentenced for religious views, on suspicion of belonging to Khizbut-ut-Takhrir.
Madmarov Abdulakhad, born 1972, sentenced for religious views, on suspicion of belonging to Khizbut-ut-Takhrir.
Madmarov Abdusamad,  born 1974, sentenced for religious views, on suspicion of belonging to Khizbut-ut-Takhrir..
Solidjon Abdurakhmanovym, born 1950, HRD, journalist, sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in 2008. Is in UYA 64/49, Karshi.
Agzam Turgunovym, born 1952. HRD, member of the opposition, sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in Autumn 2008. Is in UYA 64/71, Jaslyk.
Jamshid Karimov, journalist, is being detained in the Samarkand psychiatric hospital. The conditions under which Jamshid Karimov is being detained remain top secret.
Jamol Kutliev, children’s doctor. Since 1990 leader of the ‘Erk’ party in the Gijduvan region. Arrested 10th November 2005. Reason for the arrest: circulation of CDs with songs by the poet-singer-dissident Dadakhon Khasanov. Was subjected to harsh torture during the investigation. Charged according to articles 159, 216 and 244-1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Sentenced in March 2006 to 7 years imprisonment by the Bukhar Regional Criminal Court. Is being detained in colony UYA 64/3  (village of Tavaksai in the Tashkent oblast’).

Khazrat Akhmedov born 1940. School teacher. Arrested 11th November 2005. Used to live in the Gijduvan region. Reason for the arrest: he wrote verses in which he subjected the regime of Islam Karimov to harsh criticism. During the investigation he was subjected to harsh torture. He was charged according to articles 159, 216 and 244-1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Sentenced in March 2006 to 4 years imprisonment by the Bukhar Regional Criminal Court. Is being detained in colony UYA 64/3  (village of Tavaksai in the Tashkent oblast’).
Zafar Rakhimov Car-repair expert. Member of the Kashkadarin regional branch of the HRSU, arrested in April 2007; sentenced to 6 years imprisonment in October 2007 by the Karshin Municipal Criminal Court;
Yuldash Rasulev Car-repair expert, entrepreneur. Member of the Kashkadarin regional branch of the HRSU, arrested in April 2007; sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in October 2007 by the Karshin Municipal Criminal Court.

Independent HRDs of Uzbekistan:

Namazov Bakhadyr –         Committee for the release of Uzbekistan prisoners of conscience
Elena Urlaeva-                   Uzbekistan Human Rights Alliance
Oleg Sarapulov –               Uzbekistan Human Rights Alliance
Kim Ada-                         Uzbekistan Human Rights Alliance
Salomatoy Boymatova-          Uzbekistan Human Rights Alliance

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