Front Line is deeply concerned following reports received the authorities arrested, tried and fined ten human rights defenders following their organisation of, and participation in, a peaceful demonstration in Tashkent on 6 December 2008. The defenders were members of the Ezgulik Human Rights Society, the Committee of Prisoners of Conscience and Uzbek Human Rights Alliance.

Further Information

On 6 December 2008, members of the aforementioned human rights organisations held a “Human Rights Parade” in front of the Prosecutor General´s Office to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to demand freedom for all political prisoners and Muslims imprisoned for their faith. Following the peaceful demonstration, ten protesters were reportedly arrested by secret service agents who allegedly used brute force against human rights defenders Victoria Bajenova and Lyudmila Kutepova.

The detained human rights defenders were taken to the Mirzo-Ulugbek Criminal Court where they were charged with “organisation of unlawful rallies” and “resisting arrest.” All ten pleaded innocent to these charges. The court later released the defenders but fined each of them more than 250,000 Uzbek sums (approximately €150). One of the protesters, Zulkhumor Tuichiyeva, the mother of Muzaffar Tuichiyev who was allegedly murdered by the police, was fined 280,000 Uzbek sums (approximately €160), a sum more than four times her monthly pension.

Front Line believes that the arrests and fines of members of the aforementioned human rights organisations is an attempt to dissuade them from their legitimate and peaceful activities in defence of human rights, especially their campaign for prisoners of conscience. Front Line is concerned that these latest arrests and fines against human rights defenders form part of a larger pattern of intimidation against human rights defenders in Uzbekistan.