Category Archives: Human Rights

Yet another person dies of torture in Uzbekistan

According to Fakhriddin Okkuziev, his younger brother Husniddin died of severe torture by policemen of Chirokchi district of Kashkadarya region.

32-year-old resident of Chordara village of Yakkabag district in Kashkadarya region, Husniddin Okkuziev, died after being brutally tortured by the officers at the Department of the Interior in Chirokchi district.

“Jarayon” learned about this horrific incident from Fakhriddin Okkuziev, elder brother of the deceased. According to him, Husniddin Okkuziev was taken to the police department on May 17, 2013, and was charged with an administrative offence.

Uzbekistan: Authorities are strengthening pressure on religious people

In Uzbekistan, the scale of the persecution of believers of different faiths has significantly increased.

Observers note increased nervousness of the authorities during the holy month of Ramadan. These days, in Kashkadarya, Jizzakh and Tashkent regions, special services have detained 15-20 years old young Muslims for “educational talks”. They were released after talks. According to the source of “Jarayon”, “now we have more obedient atheists.”

Kayum Ortikov the Uzbek government in using brutal torture against him

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.

Sweden’s court again acquitted spouses suspected in Uzbek imam’s case

The Swedish town of Sundsvall hosted an appeals court in respect of a married couple from Uzbekistan Bakhodir Pulatov and Nodira Aminov, who were suspected in contributing to the murder attempt on the famous Uzbek imam Obidkhon Nazarov.

On July 1, court of appeals in Sundsvall city acquitted the couple from Uzbekistan – Bahodir Pulatova and Nodira Aminova – who were suspected in contributing to the attack on Uzbek imam Obidkhon Nazarov. The ruling cited the lack of technical evidence to support charges put against this pair.

Khairullo Tursunov sentenced to twelve years in prison

Yet another Uzbek refugee, Khairullo Tursunov, extradited from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan, is sentenced to many years in prison.

Tursunov was exstradited from Almaty to Tashkent on March 13, 2013.

In early June 2013, 38-year-old Uzbek refugee Khairullo Tursunov was sentenced to twelve years in prison for “conducting extremist religious activities.” Jarayon was informed about it on June 26 from Tursunov’s relatives living outside Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan: The number of Muslims subjected to torture is rising

The years of independence in Uzbekistan have seen many cases of illegal arrests, beatings, torture, and unfair trials, and the victims were not only the critics and opponents of the regime of president Islam Karimov, but also thousands of innocent Muslim believers.

Many Uzbek Muslims, including women, were sentenced to many years in prison for so-called membership in the banned religious organizations in the country. Although, many local and international organizations declare the innocence of these people, and that the charges against them were fabricated by the Uzbek authorities.

Karimov’s statement may adversely affect the situation of Uzbek migrants

On June 21, during his trip to the Jizzak region of Uzbekistan, president Islam Karimov called Uzbek migrant workers, working in Russia, “lazy people”, and the fact of their presence in the labor migration was “disgusting and humiliating for the Uzbek people”.

Karimov, who said “no one in Uzbekistan is dying of hunger,” also added that “those, who went to Russia to earn money fast, are lazy, because they want to earn a lot of money quickly.”

Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic on his visit to Uzbekistan 27-28 May 2013

ISTANBUL (29 May, 2013): On 27-28 May, I visited Uzbekistan where I had meetings at the ministerial level with State authorities, top justice officials and representatives of the international community and civil society. The level of interlocutors I met while in Tashkent and the quality of discussions indicates a window of opportunity to strengthen cooperation.

While some progress has been made, a number of serious human rights concerns remain in Uzbekistan, including torture, arbitrary detention, the lack of freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, the harassment of civil society, journalists and opposition, as well as forced labour. All of these, as well as a number of other issues, were discussed in a constructive spirit, informed by the recommendations of the UN human rights mechanisms.

Situation in Osh and Jalalabad is still alarming

The bloody events of June 10-14, 2010, happened in Osh and Jalalabad, southern regions of Kyrgyzstan, by their cruelty and ruthlessness, definitely entered the history of inhuman events of our time.

During those days, hundreds of people, including infants, children, women and old people, were killed based on their ethnic backgrounds. Modern humanity has witnessed the burning people alive. In the era of globalization and informationalism, all these atrocities, genetically not inherent to the normal person, were recorded on millions of digital data holders, and were shown globally.

TeliaSonera must prove its commitment to human rights

International human rights organization “Fiery Hearts Club” is closely following the recent developments around the activities of the Swedish telecom giant TeliaSonera in Uzbekistan.

Recently, in late May, the Swedish public television aired a new documentary film about the corrupt cooperation of TeliaSonera with the eldest daughter of Islam Karimov – Gulnara Karimova, and the pro-government structures of Uzbekistan.