…care about the fate of 29 asylum seekers…

4 October 2010
1
COMMITTEE TO SAVE THE REFUGEES
Facing Extradition from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan
P R E S S R E L E A S E
On 5-7 October 2010, in front of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights in
Warsaw pickets will be held to protest against the decision of the General Prosecutor of the Republic of
Kazakhstan to extradite to Uzbekistan 29 refugees, including 17 persons who were granted “mandate
refugee” status by the UNHCR earlier in periods between 2005 till March 2010.
Between 9 and 11 June 2010, law enforcement agencies of Kazakhstan have arrested more than 45
refugees in Almaty (Kazakhstan), including 30 people on the extradition request of the Prosecutor
General of Uzbekistan.
On 11 and 27 August 2010, the Kazakh Republican Central Committee for Determination of Refugee
Status held offsite meetings and reviewed the case of these refugees and denied 30 of them the refugee
status.
On 8 September 2010 Tashkenbay Aubakirov, assistant of prosecutor of Almaty city, reported that
General Prosecutor of the Republic of Kazakhstan issued order of extradition of 30 refugees to
Uzbekistan.
Later we learned that UNHCR have revoked the “mandate refugee” status of the above mentioned 17
detainees. The UNHCR has not provided refugees the relevant documents about this yet. Refugees have
learned about it through word of mouth of their relatives only after several months.
Only after three months three UNHCR lawyers allowed to meet with their clients – 29 arrested refugees.
During this time, one refugee was extradited to Uzbekistan. His fate is unknown. Extradition of the
remaining 29 refugees to Uzbekistan is expected.
In 2003, The United Nations Committee Against Torture has expressed extreme concern over report on
widespread torture in Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan has largely failed to implement recommendations to curb
torture and ill-treatment by the Committee Against Torture.
We would like to draw attention of the public to the fact that the Kazakh government is defiantly failing
to fulfill its international obligations as defined in:
– UN Convention on the Status of Refugees, 1951 (Article 33);
– UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (Article 3);
– International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Articles 7, 18, 19, 22).
Moreover, government of Kazakhstan is breaching article 4.3 of the Constitution of the Republic of
Kazakhstan, article 2.3 Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan and are not protecting
rights of detained refugees mentioned on articles 26,68,70,71 Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic
of Kazakhstan.
4 October 2010
2
We protest against the decision of Kazakh Republican Central Committee for Determination of Refugee
Status and order of the General Prosecutor of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan must not to
violate human rights by fulfilling the Uzbekistan’s request for extradition.
We believe, that the Governments of member States of OSCE to urge Kazakhstan- Chair of OSCE to fulfill
its international obligations.
We, the participants of the pickets, urge all people of goodwill who care about the fate of 29 asylum
seekers to make all efforts to stop their extradition to Uzbekistan.
We also urge member States of OSCE and media to pay attention to the lawlessness of the Government
of Kazakhstan and UNHCR.
Representatives of the mass media and other interested parties may contact the picketers in different
countries through the following contact details:
Salih Ibrahim
Tel: +46706034818
Farkhod Tashmukhamedov
Tel: +46735578970
Hasan Temirov
Tel: +46704812388
Ahmad Iyso
(The representative of the Initiative Group of the Uzbek Diaspora in Sweden (IGUDS))
Tel: +46700683739; E-mail: igursw@gmail.com
Representatives of the Committee to Save the Refugees Facing Extradition from Kazakhstan to
Uzbekistan:
Mutabar Tadjibayeva,
Head, human rights organization “Utyuraklar Klubi” (Club of Flaming Hearts). Paris, France. Laureate
Martin Ennals Award 2008, National Prize of France, “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity” and “Courageous
Woman of the Year” United States. Tel.: 33643236385; E-mail: mutabartadjibaeva@gmail.com
Talib Yakubov,
Vice-President of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan. Angers, France. Tel.: 33 241667961; E-mail:
dptalib@safe-mail.net
Ismail Dadajanov,
President of the Democratic Forum of Uzbekistan. Helsinborg, Sweden. Tel.: 46 424993383 E-mail:
uzbek55@mail.ru
Nurillo Maksudov,
Chairman of the Organization of Andijan – Adolat va Tiklanish (Andijan – Justice and Regeneration),
Düsseldorf, Germany. Tel.: 49 17622979267, 49 21146818660 E-mail: andijon.adolat@gmail.com
Kamoliddin Rabbimov,
Political Scientist, France. Tel.: +33 622418665 E-mail: kmr.uzb@gmail.com