Imprisoned Uzbek human rights defender Mr Habibbula Akpulatov has recently had his prison sentence extended for a further three years on the basis of charges of systematic violation of his prison’s internal rules. Habibbula Akpulatov is a member of the Ishtikhan regional branch of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan.

Further Information

Habibbula Akpulatov was arrested on 4 June 2005, charged with denigration and extortion under Articles 139 and 165 of the Criminal Code, and was sentenced by the regional court of Samarkand on 18 October 2005 to six years of detention.Since 11 December 2006, he has been detained in Navoi prison No. 64/29. Under the Amnesty Act of 2005, his prison sentence was reduced to four years but shortly before his scheduled release on 30 September 2009, Habibbula Akpulatov was sentenced to an additional three years imprisonment by the Navoi regional Criminal Court.

The hearing took place in the prison in the absence of Habibbula Akpulatov’s lawyer, who was informed of the hearing only on the day of the trial. Habibbula Akpulatov was instead given a state lawyer, and was found guilty of a violation of Article 221 part 2 for six violations of prison regulations, in particularly that he did not take part in educational lessons. According to the information received, the judge admitted in a private conversation that the case was brought to the court by the National Security Agency (SNB).

The Akpulatov family has since hired another lawyer, who filed an appeal against the new sentence. However, the new lawyer was again not informed about the date of the appeal hearing which took place in his absence on 26 November 2009, and in which Navoi regional Criminal Court confirmed the previous sentence of three years. The lawyer has filed a new appeal to the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan.

On 22 December 2009, Habibbula Akpullatov’s family and lawyer tried to visit him in detention, but only the lawyer was allowed to see him. It is reported that Habibbula Akpulatov needs urgent medical care. His right leg has almost lost its sensitivity, both of his eyes were visibly infected, and his weight has fallen to 55 kilos.

Front Line believes that Habibbula Akpulatov’s new sentence is the direct result of an effort to keep him, as a human rights defender, in jail. Front Line is seriously concerned for the health, physical and psychological integrity of Habibbula Akpulatov and of all Uzbek human rights defenders, and urges the Uzbek authorities to provide him with urgent and appropriate medical care.