Habibbula Akpulatov

Front Line is concerned regarding reports of the condition of human rights defender Mr Habibbula Akpulatov in prison. It has been reported that his condition of health is deteriorating: he is loosing his eyesight, and is losing sensation in his lower right leg. He is not receiving adequate medical attention in prison. Habibbula Akpulatov was originally arrested in 2005, and is currently detained in prison No. 64/45 in Almalyk, Tashkent region.

Further Information

Front Line previously issued an appeal on 11 January 2010 regarding Habibbula Akpulatov’s deteriorating health, but it is believed that no steps have been taken since then to ensure that he receives medical care. It is reported that he is unable to make a complaint regarding his condition as he is denied access to mail, as well as to the library and to a place of prayer; all of which are prohibited in Prison No. 64/45.

Habibbula Akpulatov has reportedly received the two new warnings by the prison authorities, one because a cigarette butt was allegedly found in his bed, although Habibbula Akpulatov does not smoke, and another because he has a beard. Front Line is concerned regarding these two incidents as prisoners with “warnings” are automatically excluded from an upcoming amnesty.

Human rights defender Habibbula Akpulatov was originally arrested on 4 June 2005 and was charged with denigration and extortion under Articles 139 and 165 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan. On 18 October 2005 he was sentenced to six years in prison by the regional court of Samarkand. Since 11 December 2006, he has been detained in Prison No. 64/29 in Navoi. 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 in a court hearing held in the prison.

Please see the previous Front Line Urgent Appeal of 11 January 2010 on this case.