Category Archives: Central Asia
Kazakhstan extradited Khairullo Tursunov to Uzbekistan
Despite the warnings of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Kazakh authorities extradited Khairullo Tursunov, asylum seeker from Uzbekistan, to Tashkent.
According to sources of “Jarayon”, authorities of Kazakhstan extradited Khairullo Tursunov, individual asylum seeker from Uzbekistan, to Tashkent on March 13, at 10:15 am local time. Tursunov was sent home via the Almaty-Tashkent flight of the air company “Air Astana”.
UN asks Kazakhstan not to extradite the Uzbek refugee
Letter sent by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to the international human rights organization “Fiery Hearts Club” states that an individual complaint, written on the case of Khairullo Tursunov, asylum seekers from Uzbekistan, is received and during its consideration Tursunov must not be extradited to Uzbekistan.
“The UN body writes that the complaint, which we prepared on the case of Khairullo Tursunov, is accepted. The Bureau sent one copy of this complaint to Kazakh authorities.
CPJ: Kyrgyzstan should reopen case of jailed journalist
On February 27, the Committee to Protect Journalists, based in New York, filed the appeal to the Prosecutor General of Kyrgyzstan to reconsider publicly the case of Azimjon Askarov, human rights defender from Jalalabad, who was sentenced to life in prison in September 2010 on charges that included incitement to mass disorder, attempted kidnapping, and participation in a police officer’s murder during the ethnic unrest in the region in 2010.
Copies of the appeal were sent to the President of Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyz ambassador to the United States and U.S. Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, the Foreign Minister and the Minister of Justice of Kyrgyzstan, the U.S. State Department, as well as the OSCE.
Turkmen authorities deported Kazakhstan citizen to Uzbekistan, leaving him without money and communication
On February 19, Turkmen authorities deported Roman Pugachev to Uzbekistan, after stripping him of his mobile phone and money. Ccorrespondent of “Jarayon” learned the details of this case full of disrespect and cynicism.
According to Pugachev, Turkmen security forces were extremely rude to him. At one point, there was a real threat of arrest.
Tajikistan’s special services forced the journalist to leave her home country
Due to constant threats and pressure from the State Committee of National Security of Tajikistan, journalist Gulnora Ravshan, who has worked the last six years for the Uzbek service of the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty” (Ozodlik) from Dushanbe, had to leave Tajikistan together with her four minor children. Now the journalist is seeking a political asylum in a European country.
It has been almost a year since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan refused to grant accreditation to journalist Gulnora Ravshan, which was necessary to continue her professional activity for radio Ozodlik.
Kazakh authorities to send Khairullo Tursunov to Almaty
Khairullo Tursunov, Uzbek asylum seeker from in detention in Kazakhstan, is being sent to Almaty. Kenes Dzhusupov, Tursunov’s lawyer, told about it to “Jarayon”.
“On February 20 this year, Tursunov will be sent to Almaty via train Oral-Almaty. Head of the detention center, where Tursunov is kept, informed me about this in a phone conversation. I do not know why he is being sent to Almaty”, said lawyer Kenes Dzhusupov.
Yermukhamet Yertysbayev: I personally get bored without opposition press
Last week, a delegation of international human rights organization “Reporters without Borders” visited Kazakhstan. Journalists were concerned about the closure of a number of newspapers, television channel, and the increasing incidence of attacks on journalists in Kazakhstan.
I was fortunate to be present at the meeting between Johann Bihr, head of Eastern European and Central Asian division of the international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Anna Suleliak, head of the human rights division at RSF with Yermukhamet Yertysbayev, advisor to the President of Kazakhstan, and record their sincere dialogue.
How the Kazakh officials made “Reporters without Borders” laugh
The proverb “The more time, the more work” does not suite well for some officials at the most important and responsible government institution – Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It seems that they are guided by a different principle: when you work less, work also becomes lesser.
It was proved after representatives of the international organization “Reporters without Borders”, concerned about the situation with freedom of speech in Kazakhstan and given permission to visit the country, sent a written request to Kazakhstan asking to meet with authorities and representatives of the government. The letter was sent from Paris via internet to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
New details about 29 Uzbek refugees extradited to Uzbekistan by Kazakh authorities
With the help of ACAT – France, the human rights organization based in France, our editors have found new details about fates of 29 Uzbek refugees, who were extradited from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan in 2011.
In late January of this year human rights organization ACAT – France (Association of Christians Against the Death Penalty and Torture), based in Paris, has provided information to a number of international human rights organizations about statements of the Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan that were sent to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on November 8 last year in relation to the decision of the UN Committee against Torture on extradition of 29 persons to Uzbekistan, adopted at the 48th session on June 1 2012.
Some of the 29 Uzbek refugees extradited from Kazakhstan are serving their sentences in Zhaslyk prison
“Jarayon” received a letter from the wife of one of the 29 Uzbek refugees extradited to Uzbekistan by Kazakh authorities, where she complains that they no one to protect their rights.
In should be noted in the beginning of the article that 29 Uzbek refugees (all men) were extradited from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan one and a half years ago. Before the extradition they lived in Almaty city together with their families. Most of them have minor children.
