Human rights defender Mr Gaybullo Jalilov has been sentenced to nine years in prison after a closed trial on 18 January 2010. Gaybullo Jalilov is a member of the Karshi branch of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan.

Further Information

On 18 January 2010, Gaybullo Jalilov was found guilty by the Kashkadarya Regional Court of “organisation of criminal association”, “production or dissemination of materials constituting a threat to public security and public order” and “founding, leading and participating in religious extremist, separatist, fundamentalist and other forbidden organisations” under Article 159 part 3, 244.1 part 3 and 244.2 part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Gaybullo Jalilov was sentenced to nine years in prison. The judges of the Kashkadarya Regional Court travelled to Bukhara for the hearing.

Gaybullo Jalilov’s family was not notified of the hearing and his lawyer was only informed late in the evening the day before and so could not attend the trial. It is believed that the hearing took place in prison behind closed doors and that Gaybullo Jalilov was represented by a state lawyer. Gaybullo Jalilov’s relatives only learned about the court ruling from the lawyer of another prisoner and Gaybullo Jalilov’s own lawyer was not officially informed of the sentencing until the end of January 2010.

Gaybullo Jalilov has been detained since 5 September 2009. On 9 September 2009, he was sentenced to 10 days in prison for “resisting arrest”. He was later accused of conspiring to blow up Karshi airport, buildings of law enforcement bodies and the military base of Khanabad. He was charged with “terrorism”, “incitement to national, racial or religious hatred”, “infringement against the constitutional system of the Republic of Uzbekistan”, “sabotage”, “organisation of criminal association”, “production or dissemination of materials constituting a threat to public security and public order”, and of “founding, leading and participating in religious extremist, separatist, fundamentalist and other forbidden organisations”, under Articles 155 part 3, 156 part 3, 159 part 3, 161, 242 part 2, 244 part 1 and 244 (2) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. According to the information received, the criminal case against him was initiated by the National Security Service of Kashkadarya region on 26 August 2009.

Gaybullo Jalilov’s family were only granted permission to visit him for the first time on 6 November 2009. This meeting took place in the presence of three representatives of the National Security Service in the Kashakadarya regional department of internal affairs in Beshkent. Gaybullo Jalilov’s lawyer only met with him for the first time on 9 October 2009. According to his family, Gaybullo Jalilov’s health has seriously deteriorated while in detention as he suffers from depression and kidney disease.

On 24 November 2009 the trial of Gaybullo Jalilov before the Kashkadarya Regional Court commenced. It was a closed trial and no relatives were allowed to attend. Gaybullo Jalilov’s lawyer was not informed about the hearing and Gaybullo Jalilov was given a state lawyer. On 25 November 2009, the trial lasted for half an hour and was then postponed until 26 November 2010. Following this, the trial was postponed several times.

Front Line believes that the sentencing of Gaybullo Jalilov forms part of a strategy used by the Uzbek authorities to silence the last active human rights defenders in Uzbekistan by putting them in prison for long periods of time and to discourage all those who might consider getting involved in the human rights movement in Uzbekistan. Front Line fears for the physical and psychological integrity of Gaybullo Jalilov.