Uzbekistan

Active Cases

Take Action : Serious concern for health of Uzbek human rights defender Mutabar Tadjibaeva

Conditions Improve for Mutabar Tadjibaeva

Front Line is gravely concerned following reports of the deterioration in the health of Mutabar Tadjibaeva, human rights defender and Chairperson of the human rights organisation “Plammenoe Serdtse” (Fiery Hearts Club) in Ferghana city. Mutabar Tajibaeva was arrested on 7 October 2005 and subsequently sentenced to 8 years in prison on 6 March 2006. She is currently being detained at Tashkent Prison. Front Line has previously expressed grave concern at the continued detention of Mutabar Tadjibaeva and her deteriorating health, most recently on 28 March 2007.  Read More

Uzbekistan: Authorities prevent human rights defenders from participating in commemorative event

Front Line is extremely concerned by reports that the authorities have prevented the below-mentioned human rights defenders of the Human Rights Defenders Alliance of Uzbekistan from participating in a commemorative event on 13 May 2008 to mark the third anniversary of the Andijan massacre. Rasulzhon Tadjibaev, Shurat Ahmadzhonov, Yelena Urlaeva and Saidagzam Askarov were arrested. Lyudmila Mingazova, Karima Kamalova, Akramhodzha Muhitidinov, Shadmanbek Fazilov and Tatyana Dovlatova were reportedly forced to stay in their homes by law enforcement officials. Jana Ignatenko and Alisher Mamadzhanov were prevented from laying flowers at the "Monument of Courage" by the Intelligence Service. In addition, an attempt was made by officials of the Intelligence Service to detain Anatoli Volkov and Victoria Vazhenova at the "Monument of Courage."  Read More

Uzbekistan: Sentencing of human rights defender Yusuf Juma

Front Line is deeply concerned following the sentencing of human rights defender Yusuf Juma to five years' imprisonment on 15 April 2008. Yusuf Juma is a prominent writer and pro-democracy activist in Uzbekistan. He was arrested along with his sons, Bobur and Mashrab, in the Tashkent region in mid-December 2007 and he has been detained in the Otbozor Prison in the Bukhara region of Uzbekistan.  Read More

The Uzbek government has a long-standing record of torture, controlling, intimidating, and arbitrarily suspending or interfering with the work of civil society groups, the media, human rights defenders, and opposition political parties. Ill-treatment and serious procedural violations against detainees as well as harsh treatment of human rights defenders and political opponents is widespread. In 2003, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture characterised torture as "systematic" in Uzbekistan.