Category Archives: Uzbekistan

OSCE HDIM statement: Human rights in Uzbekistan after Karimov

President Karimov’s sudden death in September brought to an end his 27-year long rule which was marked by profound disregard for fundamental rights and freedoms, the brutal crushing of dissent and a justice system where torture and arbitrary detentions were the norm.

Prior to Presidential elections scheduled for 4 December 2016, the Acting President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has announced six priority areas for the country, but human rights are not amongst them.

UZBEKISTAN: Defender of farmers’ rights Azam Formonov spends 10th birthday behind bars

AZAM FORMONOV

Brussels-Dublin-Paris-Geneva – December 15, 2015 – The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH-OMCT), FIDH member organisation “Fiery Hearts Club”, the Association for Human Rights in Central Asia, the Uzbek-German Forum for Human Rights, Front Line Defenders and the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) join Azam Formonov’s family in wishing Azam strength for his 37th birthday which he spent locked up in prison.

Tadjibayeva released an addition list of Uzbek political prisoners

In late November 2014, Mutabar Tadjibayeva, the head of Fiery Hearts ClubInternational Human Rights Organization based in France, released her list of 43 political prisoners of Uzbekistan.

According to the human rights activist, they were sentenced to long years in prison for political and religious reasons.

“We support US senators, who recently stood up for defense and release of five Uzbek political prisoners. However, we decided once again to publish a list of the people, who have been kept in prisons of Uzbekistanfor more than 21 years. This list includes new names of political prisoners. Each of them deserves to be considered a political prisoner. I believe it is necessary to mention their names during talks of Western politicians with the Uzbek authorities about the fates of the political prisoners,” Tadjibayeva told “Jarayon”.

ACAT-France awards human Rights prize to Mutabar Tadjibayeva

“Engel-duTertre” awarded to the famous Uzbek human rights defender and her organization “Fiery Hearts Club” in recognition of work against torture in Uzbekistan

On November 15, ACAT-France celebrated forty years since its creation in 1974 by Edith du Tertre and Helene Engel by awarding the first ever Engel-duTertre prize to Mutabar Tadjibayeva.

Tadjibayeva, renowned activist and head of the international human rights association “Fiery Hearts Club”, has been living in exile in Paris after being jailed and tortured in Uzbekistan. For more than two decades, Tadjibayeva has continued the fight for human rights in Uzbekistan.

In prison health of Murod Juraev has deteriorated

Kholbika Juraeva, the political prisoner’s wife, told Jarayon about it.

According to the wife of a political prisoner, a former member of Uzbek Parliament Murod Juraev, Kholbika Juraeva, in mid-mid-November of this year 2014 she was able to go on a long meeting with her husband in colony # UA 64/06, which is located in Chirchik city of Tashkent region.

The woman tearfully told reporters of our website, that in prison health of Murod Juraev has deteriorated.

“He constantly belches, and almost can not eat. After severe regurgitation he can only drink soup,” says Kholbika Juraeva.

Vitaly Ponomarev: Government propaganda in Russia actively inflates “Islamophobia” and “Ukrainophobia”

Dozens of refugees and migrants from the Central Asia have been kidnapped in Russia last year.

Later the kidnapped people appearto be in detention in the countries of their origin accused of serious crimes of so-called religious articles of the Criminal Code.

In his interview with “Jarayon”,prominent Russian human rights defender Vitaly Ponomarev speaks about cases of immigrants from Central Asia, who fled their homelandsdue to threat of persecution for religious or political reasons, structures involved in kidnapping and international law standards to protect such individuals.

Handing Engel – du Tertre (Award of ACAT Foundation to Madam Mutabar Tadjibayeva)

Dear friends,

I am excited that a 40-year anniversary of our organization ACAT Foundation is enlightened by this moment full of excitement, happiness and unforgettable emotions.

During our recent Board meeting we have decided to establish an award for the work in the field of human rights protection… but we were faced by a dilemma of coming up with a proper name for this award. On the eve of a 40-year anniversary of our organization we have been thinking about two Protestant women – Hélène Engel and Édith du Tertre who founded ACAT.  Without their efforts we couldn’t have been here today! (I am indeed happy to tell you that today several family members of Hélène Engel and Édith du Tertre are also attending this event). As a tribute to the courage and faith of those two women we decided to name the new award we were establishing Engel – du Tertre Award.

Fearing growing religiosity of the population, the Uzbek security services have started controlling private gatherings of citizens

Many Muslims of Uzbekistan have been prosecuted after attending private gatherings of their friends.

I would like to begin our story with the recent case of Uzbek refugee Mirsobir Khamidkariev, who was kidnapped in Moscow in early June 2014. I would remind that this person asked for asylum in Russia as since 2011 the Uzbek Government had internationally searched for him.

Mutabar Tadjibayeva: We can stop political repressions in Uzbekistan

Actions by Christians against Torture, a human rights organization based in France, conducted a prize presentation ceremony on 15 November 2014 in Paris to give its prestigious award to Mutabar Tadjibayeva, the head of “Fiery Hearts Club” International Human Rights Organization,for human rights protection achievements.

On the eve of this event, “Jarayon” interviewed the human rights activist, who spoke about the award she received from Christians against Torture, positive changes and challengers in the field of human rights in Uzbekistan in 2014 as well as about her plans for the future.

Independent journalist Dilmurod Sayid was told about his mother’s death a month after her decease

Obidzhon Saidov told Jarayon that he visited his elder brother Dilmurod Sayidin the prison in Karshi on 8 November 2014.

“On 8-9 November I was visiting my brother in the prison in Karshi. We did not have time to sleep as we talked until dawn. He looked so-so, sometimes he coughed. He said he had a little cold. He is depressed. My brother asked me to thank everybody, who struggle for his release. He expressed his greatest gratitude to human rights activist Mutabar Tadjibayeva.

Dilmurod told me: ‘If, God willing, I am freed from the prison, first of all I’ll go to the cemetery to pay honor in the memory of my mother, wife and daughter. After that, my first duty will be to visit this precious woman,’” said Obidzhon Saidov.