Human rights activist Mutabar Tadjibayeva goes on a hunger strike
Tadjibayeva was arrested on the eve of departure for an international conference of human rights activists in Ireland. She had told journalists on October 7 that she was leaving for Tashkent that very evening.
“I’m scheduled to go to Tashkent today but I do not know if I make it or not. I’m under surveillance now. Several cars tail me constantly. No, I’m not afraid of detention. Deputy Prosecutor General Anvar Nabiyev said at the trial in Tashkent that I support the opposition and that I called for armed action. He was lying.”
“I did support the Kyrgyz opposition,” Tadjibayeva was quoted as saying. “In any case, I did not object to a peaceful demonstration. I reckon that the authorities grew scared when I said I had documents proving the innocence of the businessmen tried as Akromians…”
The human rights activist was bagged right after the meeting with journalists, at 10 p.m. that evening. Her daughter Makhliyo Pulatova says that over a dozen men in uniforms and civvies broke into their apartment.
“There were several others outside as well. I could not count how many because most were sitting in cars,” Pulatova said.
Law enforcement agencies searched the apartment without a warrant and left taking the PC and some documents with them.
Dilafruz Nurmatova, one of Tadjibayeva’s lawyers, claims that the human rights activist was arrested as a suspect under Article 165 Part 2 Provision B of the Criminal Code (extortion punishable by up to 10 years behind the bars).
“Three lawyers defend Tadjibayeva,” Nurmatova said. “Unfortunately, it’s difficult for us to meet with her, and that cannot help having its negative effect.”
Denouncing all accusations, Tadjibayeva declared a hunger strike in protest against the illegal arrest and encroachments on her right to defense. Her state of health deteriorated several days later and an ambulance was urgently summoned.
Law enforcement agencies say that Tadjibayeva is suspected of a swindle, not involvement in the events in Andijan, and claim to possess corroborative documents. The local human rights community is convinced that the arrest was made to prevent Tadjibayeva from attending the international conference, to conceal the truth on what really happened in Andijan, and to find out what documents concerning the so called Akromians she possesses.
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