Kayum Ortikov appealed to the UN Committee on Human Rights complaining that the government of Uzbekistan used brutal torture and oppression against him.

Ortikov accuses the authorities of using torture against him and gross violation of his rights.

International human rights organization “Fiery Hearts Club” helped and supported Kayum Ortikov in preparing and submitting a complaint to the UN Committee on Human Rights.

In his complaint to the UN, Ortikov speaks not only of torture that was used against him, but also mentions the names of law enforcement officers and prisoners (lahmach – a prisoner, used by the prison administration) who were actively involved in the case. He gives evidences of brutal torture used against other prisoners. Ortikov accuses the authorities of Uzbekistan in using of vile torture, and calls on victims of torture not to remain silent, instead, to loudly disclose and expose the crimes of the authorities.

Ortikov was convicted in 2009 on charges of human trafficking. Although his guilt was not proven in court, Ortikov was sentenced to six years in prison. After the verdict was announced on 29 January 2009, Ortikov was illegally detained at the detention center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs number 64/1 in Tashkent (the famous “Tashkent prison”) from February 8 to September 7, 2009. There he was subjected to terrible and inhuman torture. He was forced to confess of spying for Great Britain during his work at the British Embassy in Tashkent, and slander his other colleagues in the embassy of spying for the West. During this period, he was completely isolated from the outside world.

Employee of the Tashkent prison, Lieutenant Rustam Jumayev, ordered to wear handcuffs on hands and feet of Kayum Ortikov, stuffed a rag in his mouth, made him sit down, and two lohmachs pushed his legs apart. Then he rolled the paper into a tube and gave it to one of lohmachs, who burned the newspaper with a lighter and set fire to their genitals of Ortikov. Kayum Ortikov lost consciousness of pain shock.

He was left lying on the cold floor for several days. When his wounds in genitals began to fester and stink, they called doctors from the medical unit of the detention facility, who determined the second degree burns on the genitals and anus of Kayum Ortikov. They burned the most delicate parts of the body of a living person!

This is just one of the ten kinds of hideous torture that were used against Kayum Ortikov by law enforcement bodies of Uzbekistan in order obtain false testimony from him.

Because of the constant torture, Ortikov lost his body clock and feeling in time. All the time he was suffering from a terrible physical pain throughout his body and often lost consciousness. Therefore, he does not remember the time and place of the torture. The relatives did not know that he had been tortured.

During this period Ortikov repeatedly demanded a lawyer and permission to visit his family. However, all of his claims were unsuccessful. Food and clothing, which were passed on by his family, did not reach Ortikov – they were taken away by other prisoners (lahmachs) who tortured him.

He was not allowed to see his family during nine months. Although, Ortikov’s wife used to come came to Tashkent prison at least three times a week. Each time she demanded a date from prison authorities, deputy chief B. Iskhokov took her written statement and asked to wait. Then, after a while, he came to her and showed a note on the back of a statement, which stated that Ortikov refused to meet with her. Ortikov’s wife is confident that he wrote it against his will. In fact Kayum Ortikova wanted to go out and meet with his relatives, even despite the fact that he could not walk alone, as he was being treated from his injuries on the genitals and anus. Ortikov says he was forced to write a refusal for date.

The tragic events experienced by Kayum Ortikov

On February 8, 2009, in the afternoon Kayum Ortikov was taken out of his cell to the interrogation room, located in the detention center, to talk with investigators. There he met two men in civilian clothes. They did not introduce themselves, but, according to Kayum Ortikov, he understood from their questions that they were from the National Security Service (NSS).

They put on the table blank sheets of paper and a pen, and demanded that Ortikov gave written confession of all illegal affairs at the British Embassy in Tashkent, and testified against his colleagues who worked in the Embassy – Ibodullaev Umid, Solizhonov Ravshan, Musaev Azim, and against employees of the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent named Turdikul, Erkin and Alisher, who Kayum Ortikov had never met before.

When Ortikov refused to give a written testimony, the two men started beating him with their fists, and kicked in the stomach, chest and legs. They threatened him claiming that in cases of refusal they would subject Kayum Ortikov to such kinds of torture that were be difficult to imagine, and that Ortikov would regret that he refused to testify. After that, the two men read him the article 157 (“espionage”) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Only then Ortikov realized that they attempted to charge him with spying for the United Kingdom, as well as to defame a number of employees of the British Embassy and the United States – all citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan – through him. He again refused to testify about the spying. This has angered the security services, and one of them started mercilessly beating Ortikov on the fingers and head with a piece of iron bar that was in the room.

After beating Kayum Ortikov for nearly two hours, they left the room saying that they would return in a week. As a result of beatings with iron bar, Ortikov had numerous severe bruises on his chest, head and fingers.

On February 8, 2009, at about 7.00 pm, Kayum Ortikov was transferred from his cell on the fourth floor of the prison (the so-called fourth aul or a block of detention center for convicts) to the aul in the basement, where the most of the torture in this facility takes place. There he met lieutenant named Diyor (unfortunately Ortikov does not remember his name), chief of the operations department of the basement chambers.

He invited Kayum Ortikov to his room and told him to give all the evidences required by the investigators of the SNB. Ortikov again refused. It made Diyor mad, and he hit Ortikov to his jaw, crashing him to the ground. Then Diyor began kicking him with his legs. Lieutenant called the convict named Panteley, whose services of torturing, according Kayum Ortikov, were often used by the intelligence investigators, prosecutors and police (in prison slang this category of prisoners called “lohmachs”).

Dyer explained Panteley at whose request and what confessions were needed from Ortikov, and ordered to start torturing him. Panteley came to Kayum Ortikov and said that a very serious organization “ordered” him, and if he did not give the necessary evidence, he could have died of torture. Panteley added that in his practice he has seen a lot of these stubborn as Ortikov seen and killed. But Ortikov went on to explain Panteley that was demanded to give non-existent evidences, but Panteley just knocked him to the ground with a strong hit to the head.

Panteley called his assistants. They quickly stripped Kayum Ortikov naked and transferred him to the cell #123. There, about 8-9 people, led by Panteley, put Ortikov on the ground and started kicking him. It lasted about three hours.

After that they wrapped his arms and legs with a cloth, and tied him in a hanging position on a two-section bed with his face to the ground (in prison slang, this pose is called “helicopter posture” – author). They shoved his shirt on Ortikov’s mouth, so he would not cry loudly.

In this position, they punched and kicked him to his stomach, chest and head. When Ortikov began to sweat heavily, lahmachs (lahmachs are prisoners convicted of serious crimes, torturers, and murderers of the Ministry of Interior, National Security Service and the Prosecutor’s Office of Uzbekistan. They enjoy best conditions created for them in the prison. They regularly receive monetary compensation from the security forces – author) told Panteley that Ortikov could lose consciousness if not untied. But Panteley said that Ortikov was hard and set a new record that lasted 21 minutes. He said that others could not stand more than 10 minutes of such treatment. Ortikov only remembers that everything went black in front of his eyes, and he lost consciousness.

When Ortikov woke up, he realized he was lying on the bed in the cell. He did not feel his arms and legs. Diyor came to him and again demanded testimonies against his colleagues in the British Embassy. After getting another refusal, Diyor ordered to strengthen the torture. The beating continued for several days until Ortikov was completely knocked down and lost consciousness. When Ortikov woke up, Panteley came to him and asked to give necessary evidences if he wanted to stay alive.

After getting yet another refusal to give testimonies, Diyor, saying “look how Britain prepares its spies”, ordered Panteley to strengthen torture. Kayum Ortikov was again tied in the helicopter position, and the beatings continued. From the kick of Denis Perevozchikov, Panteley’s assistant (according to Ortikov, Denis is from Angren city, Tashkent region – author), Ortikov felt a severe pain in the right upper chest (presumably of broken ribs). He was immediately untied from helicopter posture and moved to another cell.

Despite the severe pain in the ribs, they rejected the request of Kayum Ortikov to see a doctor. Instead, in order to relief the pain, they made him blow into a plastic bottle. As the date of appeal court was near (March 3, 2009), torturers were ordered not to touch Ortikov until March 3. On March 2, 2009, Diyor met with Kayum Ortikov and told him to keep his mouth shut in the Court of Appeal and say nothing about the torture. On March 3, 2009, Kayum Ortikov was brought to the Tashkent City Criminal Court for the appeal hearing of his case, but he was not taken to the courthouse and was kept in the basement of the building.

In 2-3 days after the appeal hearing on his case, Kayum Ortikov again met with those two SNB officers. This time there was third person, who did not introduce himself, but according to Ortikov, he could have been from the military counter-intelligence. This time they asked him questions about the Andijan events in May 2005, the explosions in Durmen village of Tashkent region, near the presidential residence, and the role of Western countries, including the UK, in the organization of Andijan events.

They also began demanding from Ortikov to give written testimony on the abovementioned matters. Ortikov again refused. It was decided to continue the torture. The next day (about 9-10 of March, 2009) Kayum Ortikov was moved to the basement of the so-called fourth aul from the basement of the first aul of the pre-trial detention center (the word “aul” here probably means prison blocks of the pre-trial detention center 64/1 – author). There he met Lieutenant Shokirov Nizom, chief of the operational group of the fourth aul, and his assistant, Lieutenant Jumayev Rustam.

They were accompanied with subordinate prisoners-lohmachs: Chelovechkov Dmitry Sergeyevich (Dima), Garik, Sasha, Akmal Hudzhaev (according Kayum Ortikov, he is form Kuylik 7/1 district of Tashkent), Akmal Togaev (from Risoviy district of Tashkent), Timur (from Chirchiq), Zafar (from Navoi region), Zafar (from Tashkent coty), Bahodirov Olim (from Niyozboshi village of Yangiyul district, Tashkent region).

These people also subject Kayum Ortikov to most terrible forms of torture – they tied his hands and hung in a hanging position on the grid attached to a wall, and beat him for a long time, then stripped him naked and beat with a flat wooden stick on the genitals. As a result of beatings, the area of ​​the genitals became severely swollen and bruised.

Then he was transferred to the cell #429. There they formed a ring from rope, put it around his neck, and the other end of the rope tied to his genitals from the back, and in this position they again hanged Ortikov to the ceiling with his hands tied. Then Bahodirov Olim began his genitals with rubber slipper. Ortikov lost consciousness. Torturers put him on the cold floor of the cell. When Ortikov awoke, he saw that lohmachs were witting to the right, drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes. They extinguished cigarettes on his naked body.

Angry from persistence of Kayum Ortikov, operatives took him to the office of the deputy chief of the detention center from National Security Service, officer named Farhad. He was holding a police baton. He angrily threatened that if Ortikov did not give confession of espionage, they would first first shove the baton into the anus and then into his mouth. The prison staff began undressing Ortikov, but he forcefully resisted them. This angered Farhad, and he mercilessly beat Kayum Ortikov on all parts of the body. Ortikov fell to the ground. Badly beaten, he was dragged through the hallway back to the cell.

Kayum Ortikov was brought to the hall and was put under a powerful stream of cold water from fire hoses. Then, naked, he was forced to stand on his feet in the corner of the cell. There were fans blowing clod air on both his sides. There have also been cases when Kayum Ortikov was placed in a cell with prisoners with AIDS and tuberculosis for several days.

In May 2009, two police officers dragged Ortikov (because he was unable to walk and stand on his feet – author) into the office of the deputy chief of Tashkent prison. There were Colonel Abdullaev, chief of the Tashkent prison, Farhad, deputy chief of prison from the National Security Service, and two representatives of the General Prosecutor’s Office of Uzbekistan. Representatives of the Prosecutor General’s Office said that they came because of a telegram, which said that Ortikov was subject to terrible torture. Then SNB officer Farhad told Ortikov that if he did not want his family members end up in jail, he should write a statement on a special blank to Prosecutor General saying that he was not tortured. Ortikov was forced to fill the form and sign it. A week later, perpetrators lead by Farhad intensified the torture of Ortikov. This was done in order to beat out false testimony from him and make him a British spy.

Unable to endure the inhuman torture, Ortikov twice tried to commit suicide. The first time he opened his vein in his left hand with his teeth. The second time, using shaving blade, he cut his neck on both sides and top of his head. Both times he miraculously survived.

According Kayum Ortikov, in early April 2009, there were cases, when he was placed in a cell of prisoners with AIDS and tuberculosis for a few days. Prison staff has also tried to pull Ortikov’s teeth with pliers.

Lohmachs named Timur, Olim, Dima, Garik and Akmal Hudzhaev tortured Ortikov using a special device – electric wire tied to his lips and genitals. After being tortured with electric shocks, Ortikov felt like his brains were boiling, and tongue swelled up badly. Not satisfied with the tortures conducted by lahmachs, Lieutenant Shokirov Nizom personally began torturing Kayum Ortikov by inserting a special set of needles under his fingernails.

On another occasion, the torture was conducted by lahmachs Chelovechkov Dmitry (Dima), Timur, Bahodirov Olim, Hudzhaev Akmal. After Ortikov was severely beaten, lahmachs called chief operative group lieutenant Shokirov Nizom and lieutenant Dzhumaev Rustam. Lieutenants called the chief of prison, Colonel Abdullaev. The chief came to the torture chamber, and saw Ortikov bleeding from beatings, he did not say a word, turned and walked away. Then lahmachs sprinkled sugar on the open wounds of Kayum Ortikov, and put bandages. After that, as directed by the chief of the operational group Shakirov Nizom, Kayum Ortikov was stripped naked and put on the iron bed, his legs, arms, belly and neck tied separately, so that he could not kill himself.

In this position, without water and food, he was kept for about 10 days. As a result, Ortikov’s lips heavily cracked, he turned into a skeleton with skin. When he asked to be unleashed, and requested some food and drink, lahmachs said that they would unleash him and give food and drink only after he confessed to spying. (This happened approximately in the middle of June in 2009 – author)

Operatives used to bring to Ortikov’s cell prisoners, who did not admit the charges put against them. They threatened them saying that they would also be put in Kayum’s conditions if not confessed. Seeing his terrible condition, some prisoners even cried, some confessed to the crimes they may not have done.

One day they brought a Tajik citizen suspected of drug trafficking into Ortikov’s cell. In the eyes of Ortikov, they stripped him naked and laid on his stomach on the floor. Then they poured boiling water from an electric kettle “Tefal” on him, and said to Kayum Ortikov that in the future he would meet the same fate. When Ortikov hovered between life and death, Farhad from SNB came to his cell. He cursed all his subordinates for the fact that they could not get Ortikov confess to spying. Farhad also said that Ortikov’s wife created a big fuss at the international level and it was creating a very big problem for them, and they must take Ortikov’s case until the end – make him confess. This task was entrusted to Chelovechkov Dmitry. Dima did not accept it, and said that he would not touch Ortikov, as they all knew of his innocence.

Kayum Ortikov’s wife, Mohira Ortikova, never stopped fighting for the rights of her husband. Therefore, in order to put pressure on the family, a year after Kayum’s detention, the law enforcement agencies jailed his younger brother Samandar Ortikov. Samandar was also accused of human trafficking, and was also sentenced to six years in prison, and the victims were the same eleven villagers of the Ortikovs. Samanadar was transferred to a colony UYa-64/29 in Navoi region, where Kayum Ortikov serving a sentence.

Due to help from the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the foreign media, Kayum Ortikov was released on May 4, 2011. However, he completely lost his health. That nightmare that he had to feel with his skin and see with his eyes over the years in prison cannot be told with words.

Upon the conditional release from prison, representatives of the National Security Service warned Kayum Ortikov that he should not say anything to anybody about tortured used against him in the detention center # 64/1, unless, of course, he cared about the health and lives of his loved ones. They reminded him that he was in the black list of SNB. And only those, who no longer exist, are crossed out from this list.