Urgently! International organizations and foundations!

After the death of Islam Karimov the situation in Uzbekistan is inclear.  The OSCE meeting will be organized in september in Warsaw and this event will be very important not only for human rights defenders of Uzbekistan, but also for the European community. It is important for the international human rights organizations to discuss the next steps on human rights in Uzbekistant in the presence of human rights defenders, journalists and activists of this country.

More than 10 civil society activists and human rights defenders in Uzbekistan would like to take a part in the OSCE meeting. Unfortunately, due to lack of funding, only 3 of the few activists will be able to go to Warsaw with the support received from FIDH (The International Federation for Human Rights).

According to the information dated on January 1, 2016, the total number of the population of Uzbekistan is 31,573,500 compared to  Kyrgyzstan – 5,990,006 people, Kazakhstan – 17769475, Tajikistan – 8,576,926. The total number of the population of Uzbekistan is equal to the number of population of all three countries together.

Uzbekistan takes the first place in number of political prisoners.  During already many years the international programs and international organizations don’t work in Uzbekistan. International help and grants  to Uzbekistan are less than the help  to other Central Asian countries. Financial aid and grants to human rights defenders and human rights organizations decreased and the help to GONGOs organizations encreased in Uzbekistan (non-profit organization created by the government and government-controlled).

At the end of August the NGO  “Fiery Hearts Club” has prepared a report under the title  “The situation of human rights defenders and political prisoners in Uzbekistan.” On the meeting of OSCE we want to present this report and  discuss  the problems related to human rights.

In this report, we mainly describe the situation with the human rights movement in Uzbekistan, the fate of political prisoners Yusuf Ruzimurodova, Ganikhon Mamatkhanov, Farmonov Azam, Azam Turgunova, Gayrat Mihliboeva, Barno Khudoyorov and others. These human rights activists and journalists  were arrested for their peaceful activities and have got into the prison on trumped-up criminal cases. In prison they are subjected  to inhumane treatment and torture.

We also examined in detail the article 105 of the Criminal Executive Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Article 221 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which are used against political and religious prisoners. Article 105 of the Criminal Executive Code, as well as 221 article of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan are used for torture and fabrication of a new criminal cases against the “undesirable” political and religious prisoners.

Despite the article 107 of the Criminal Executive Code which gives the right to have an appeal for the disciplinary action, in Uzbekistan there is no way to get any information, to make an appeal or a repeal by  the convicted or his lawer of the illegal decision which was made under the article 105 of the penal code of disciplinary penalties. It is known that the article  221 of the Criminal Code is often used by the Uzbek authorities for the fabrication of a new criminal case against the “undesirables.”

This year the terms were added to the human rights defenders as  Azam Farmonov Ganikhon Mamatkhanov. 5 years and 26 days were added to Azam Farmonov  after a nine-year term in prison. To the human rights defender Ganikhon Mamatkhanov was added the third term. At the moment we don’t have any information about how many years he got, neither the information about his health.

The report refers to other issues, such as how human rights defenders and human rights organizations become victims of cyber attacks and victims of smear campaigns. At the end of September 2016   at the meeting of the OSCE, we, activists of civil society in Uzbekistan  want to report, “The situation of human rights defenders and political prisoners in Uzbekistan.” Until December 10, the report will be added to the additional information and it will be dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Uzbekistan’s independence.

In our report, we have also focused our attention on the problems of human rights organizations and human rights defenders who need our support. The human rights movement in Uzbekistan continues its work and forced to survive without international aid.

We ask international organizations and foundations to help in financing or in research of financing!

List of civil society activists in Uzbekistan who want to participate in the OSCE meeting.

From the European countries:

– Mutabar Tadjibaeva – ex-political prisoner – Head of NGO “Fiery Hearts Club” – Paris

– Kamoliddin Rabbimov – Political scientist – France

– Talib Yakubov – Ex-president of HRSU – France

– Olim Yakubov – the son of Talib Yakubov – France

– Muhammadsolih Abutov –  ex-political prisoner – Member Kordinatsionnogo Council of Civil -Society “Alternative Uzbekistan”

– Ruslan Maytanov – representative of the “Committee for the protection of migrants” – Belgium

– Ulugbek Bakirov – Radio Edit “Tugyon” – Norway

– Ziyonur – operator, editor of radio “Tugyon” – Netherlands

 From Uzbekistan:

– Vasila Inoyatova – Head of the HRSU “Ezgulik” – Uzbekistan (Tashkent)

– Abdurahmon Tashanov – The head of the Tashkent branch of the HRSU “Ezgulik” – Uzbekistan (Tashkent)

– Dilorom Iskhokova –  human rights activist – writer – Uzbekistan (Tashkent)