The Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan is a long-standing critic of human rights violations committed by the Uzbek government. The organisations members are regularly harassed, arbitrarily detained and often subjected to torture. At present, ten members of the organisation or either in prison or detained in psychiatric hospitals.

Since 1992 the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan has been working to promote and protect human rights in Uzbekistan. Following, the Andijan massacre the Uzbek government reinforced its policy of making it extremely difficult for NGOs to register. The Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan has applied for registration six times and has been refused each time.

In December 2005, the Senate approved an amendment to the Criminal Code on Administrative Liability. The amendment creates a number of new regulatory measures for NGOs and increases the power that the authorities will have to penalize NGOs. Amongst these new provisions are that NGOs can be penalized for the use of unregistered logo, for conducting events without the consent of the registering body. In certain cases applicants were told openly: ‘we’re not going to register human rights organizations.

Apart from the restrictions on NGO’s themselves; members are increasingly subjected to arbitrary arrests, detention, torture and harassment. One of the shocking tactics employed by the authorities is the use of anti psychotic medication to force human rights defenders to remain silent. This tactic was used during the Soviet times to prevent dissidents from speaking out. Presently, there are ten member of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan in prison or detained in psychiatric hospitals.

Act Now Call on the authorities to end the unlawful detention of all members of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan

Please copy and paste this letter and send to the recipients below

Dear,

I am writing to express my grave concern for the detention of a number of members of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan. Those detained include; Norboi Kholzhigitov, chair of the Ishtikhan branch, Khayatulla Kholzhigitov and Sattor Izraev, members of the Ishtikhan branch, Khabibulla Akpulatov, member of the Ishtikhan regional branch, Nasim Isakov, member of the Jizak branch, Azam Formonov, chair of the Syrdarya regional branch, Alisher Karamatov, chair of the Mirzaabad district, Yadgar Turlibekov, chair of the Kashkadarya regional branch, Ikhtiyor Khamroev and Jamshid Karimov, independent journalist and member.

I urge you to release all members of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan immediately and unconditionally, as it is clear that these sentences constitute an attempt by the Uzbek authorities to prevent them from carrying out their activities in defence of human rights.

I urge the authorities to permit the legal registration of independent human rights organizations including the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan, which has applied six times for registration without success, and finally I urge the authorities to support an independent commission of inquiry into the human rights violations in Andijan in May 2005.

Front Line respectfully reminds you that the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms also recognizes the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders and their right to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals.

We would particularly draw attention to Article 12: ‘(1). Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to participate in peaceful activities against violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms. (2). The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration’.

Your Sincerely,

Recipients

The President of Uzbekistan President Karimov 700163 g. Tashkent, ul. Uzbekistanskaia, 43, Prezidentu Respubliki Uzbekistan Karimovu I.A., Uzbekistan

Minister of Internal Affairs Bahodir MATLIUBOV Ministerstvo vnutrennikh del RU, ul. Novruz, 1; Tashkent 700029; UZBEKISTAN Fax: + 998 71 133 89 34

Minister of Justice Buritosh Mustafaev Ministerstvo yustitsii RU, ul. Sayilgokh, 5; Tashkent 700047; UZBEKISTAN Fax: + 998 71 133 51 76