UZBEKISTAN:

MASS TRIALS OF ISLAMISTS

Following the 16 February 1999 bombings in Taskent aimed at President Karmov’s life, in which 16 persons were killed and at least 100 wounded, there have been several waves of arbitrary arrests targeting Islamic believers and those perceived to be or have links with organized Islamists. In a similar manner, political opponents and human rights activists have been arrested, ill-treated and imprisoned. Their trials have been show trials, and the defendants had no right to legal representation or other due process standards.

On 5 April, members of the Russian Special Service arrested Polvonnazir Hujayev in Samara and handed him over to the Special Service of Uzbekistan. Polvonnazir Hujayev is a son of Azimboy Hujayev, who was arrested in April 1999 for the illegal possession of narcotics – on allegedly fabricated charges - and died on 2 July 1999 in a prison camp. The official cause of death was stomach problems. However, other information indicated that he had been subjected to torture, lost a lot of blood and was unconscious for several days prior to his death. The fact that the body was only returned to the family 11 days after his death and that the relatives were not allowed to look at the body also suggested that Hujayev died as a result of torture. The Hujayev family, all devout Muslims, has been repeatedly targeted by the militia and security services. Since the death of Azimboy Hujayev, at least ten close family members have been imprisoned.

Muzaffar Hujayev (born in 1981), also a son of Azimboy Hujayev, was arrested on 18 September 1999. His mother was not informed of his whereabouts. As of this writing, no charges have been brought against him.

In late April 2000, a hearing of 14 young people began in the Tashkent Regional Court. The detainees included: Boltaev Ahmadjon, Sharipov Akmal, Hidirov Akrom, Abdullayev Bahritdin, Karshiev Botir, Hidirov Ganijon, Husanov Hurshid, Hidirov Ikrom, Hasanov Ismoil, Izbosarov Isomiddin, Husanov Mamurjon, Eshonhujaev Muzaffar, Hujayev Polvonnazir, and Kudratov Usmon. The relatives were not allowed to choose legal counsel for the accused, but rather the interrogators appointed the lawyers. Reportedly, none of the lawyers received an official document on the charges brought against their clients. On 15 May, Polvonnazir Hujayev was sentenced to death, while others received prison terms ranging from 14 to 20 years.

All the defendants were charged with violating articles 7 and 8 of the criminal code. On 7 April, Uzbek TV aired a program in which it was claimed that Polvonnazir Hujayev and the 14 others had participated in taking five people hostage after capturing a bus en route from Tashkent to Urgench. According to official sources, the hijackers demanded that all residents of the Horezm region, who were imprisoned because of their religious convictions, be released. The government representatives agreed to carry out all their demands at first, but asked to drive the bus to another location. Members of the National Security Service then opened fire, killing four of the five hijackers (one was able to flee). In the aftermath of this incident, the government launched a campaign of massive harassment of religious individuals in Horezm.

The trial of the young persons was observed by representatives of both local and international organizations, including the OSCE, Human Rights Watch and the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan. The court building was surrounded by Special Service members. A video depicting the armed conflict between the armed Uzbek opposition and the Kyrgyz government forces in Vabkent in 1999 was shown in the court room for several days, even though it had nothing to do with the case under review. The judge addressed the parents of the accused saying that if their children were not arrested, they would soon be among those "bandits."

At the beginning of May, six other young people faced trial: Ravshanov Abdukarim, Razzakov Bobur, Haitov Hamit, Juraev Shuhrat, Muhammadiev Otabek and Abdurahmanov. All of them are members of the religious party Hizb-ut-Tahrir. The defendants faced charges of having violated article 242(1) of the criminal code (organization of a criminal band); article 156(2) (inciting national, ethnic or religious animosity); article 159(3) (encroachment on the constitutional system); and article 216 (illegal social organization). Several of these articles carry a death sentence. The trial was held without the participation of lawyers.

The trial was open in the beginning, but there was strict passport control and not everyone was allowed into the court room. On 12 May, the judge postponed the session to the following day as he saw that Shavrik Ruzmuradov, a representative of the Kashkadarya Regional Office of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan, was observing the trial.

On 1 May, Choriev Mahmud (born in 1976) was arrested for having links with Hizb-ut-Tahrir. Five days later, Turaev Sherali (born in 1968), who is mentally disabled and has four children, was arrested on the same charge. The investigation is being led by Doston Karimov, inspector of the Guzar Regional Office of Ministry of Internal Affairs. Abdurahmanov Umar (born in 1974) has also been arrested for involvement in the activities of Hizb-ut-Tahrir.

++++

Source: Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan

For more information please contact Talib Yakubov, General Secretary of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan, tel/fax: +998-71-24-82-47, E-mail tolib@uzsci.net

TORTURE AND INHUMAN TREATMENT AT THE JASLIK LABOR CAMP

The Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan has reported the torture, ill-treatment and other forms of inhuman treatment of prisoners at the Jaslik labor camp, situated in Karakalpakistan, the Kongirot region, near the village of Jaslik.

On 29 May, Anvar Masudov visited the Jaslik labor camp in order to meet his son, Ganijon Masudov, who was imprisoned there. At first, the head of the camp refused him access to his son. As he refused to leave without seeing his son, he was eventually allowed to meet him. According to Anvar Masudov, his son was in very poor condition, and his whole body was covered with bruises resulting from severe beatings. The father and son were only able to talk freely in the bathroom of the camp.

Ganijon Masudov told his father that new provisions in the prison rules provided that the inmates had to sing the national anthem of the Karakalpak Republic and then the national anthem of the Republic of Uzbekistan on several occasions; for example, first thing in the morning and before and after meals.

According to Ganijon Masudov, there were 20 mentally ill prisoners in the camp, 11 handicapped prisoners, and two prisoners whose backbones were broken while in the camp. All of them had fallen victim to severe beatings. The other prisoners took care of them, in compliance with the orders of the chief of the camp, Mr. Babadjanov.

Babadjanov had personally called Ganijon Masudov to his office and told him not to mention all the "unimportant things" to his father. He also promised to release him from prison very soon.

As of May, 1,500 prisoners were being held in the labor camp of Jaslik. About 5-6 percent were members of criminal groups who watched every step the other prisoners took.

The construction of the Jaslik labor camp began at the end of 1997. Since 1998, thousands of prisoners convicted because of their religious convictions have been held incarcerated there. The government has tried to keep the existence of this camp secret. However, just prior to the 1999 parliamentary and presidential elections, the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan reported on the camp which, according to the organization, holds some 13,000-15,000 prisoners.

++++

Source: Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan

For more information please contact Talib Yakubov, General Secretary of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan, tel/fax: +998-71-24-82-47, E-mail tolib@uzsci.net