death in detention and alleged torture

Uzbekistan: death in detention and alleged torture Case UZB 030400 The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Uzbekistan. Brief description of the situation The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of the death in detention and alleged torture of Rustam Norbaev in Uzbekistan. According to the information received, on March 18 2000, Norbaev Rustam (born 1977 in Yakkabaga city) died in detention allegedly following torture in SIZO (pre-trial isolator) of ROVD (district militia department) of Yakkabaga city of Kashkadarya province. His three brothers, Bahrom, Parda and Ergash were also delivered to ROVD and subjected to torture in order to force them to testify against Rustam. According to the information received, he was arrested on March 13th, suspected of belonging to a religious party "Hizb-ut-Tahrir". An investigation into his death by Begimkulov Berdimurad, ROVD detective, concluded that he had hanged himself. However, according to the people who carried out the Muslim rituals on his body before his burial, there were numerous signs of torture over his body. The International Secretariat is gravely concerned by these allegations and recalls that Uzbekistan is a state party to the Convention against Torture which prohibits the use of torture and notes in Article 12 that “Each State Party shall ensure that its competent authorities proceed to a prompt and impartial investigation, wherever there is reasonable ground to believe that an act of torture has been committed in any territory under its jurisdiction.” Action requested Please write to the authorities in Uzbekistan urging them to: i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the Bahrom, Parda and Ergash Norbaev; ii. guarantee an immediate investigation into the alleged torture of Bahrom, Parda and Ergash Norbaev and into the death of Rustam Norbaev, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law; iii. guarantee adequate restitution, compensation and rehabilitation to all injured people and to the family of Rustam Norbaev; iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards, particularly the Convention Against Torture, ratified by Uzbekistan. Addresses President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Islam Abduganievich KARIMOV, Respublika Uzbekistan, 700000 g. Tashkent, pr. Uzbekistansky, Rezidentsia prezidenta, Prezidentu Respubliki Uzbekistan, KARIMOVU I.A. Fax: ( 998 71) 139 53 15 Minister of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Siradzhuddin MIRSAFAYEV, Respublika Uzbekistan,700047 g. Tashkent. ul. Sayilgokh, 5 Ministerstvo yustitsii Respubliki Uzbekistan Ministru MIRSAFAYEVU S. Fax: (998 71) 133 51 76 Oliy Majlis Commissioner for Human Rights, Sayora RASHIDOVA (Ms), Respublika Uzbekistan, 700008 g. Tashkent, pl. Mustakillik, 2 Oliy Majlis Respubliki Uzbekistan, Upolnomochennoy po pravam, cheloveka pri Oliy Majlis, RASHIDOVOY S. Fax: (998 71) 139 85 55 Geneva, April 3, 2000 Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.