Uzbekistan
22.06.01
Urgent Interventions
'Uzbekistan: Arbitrary arrest/Incommunicado Detention/Ill-treatment
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
UZB 003/ 0106/OBS 055
Arbitrary arrest/Incommunicado Detention/Ill-treatment
Uzbekistan
22nd June 2001
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Uzbekistan.
Brief description of the facts:
The Observatory has been informed by the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan (HRSU) and the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (KCHR) of the arbitrary arrest and incommunicado detention of Shovruk Ruzimuradov, the head of HRSU’s Kashkadar'ya Regional Department and the subsequent searching of his house.
According to the information received, on June 15th 2001, Mr. Ruzimuradov was arbitrarily arrested by members of the Kashkadaryn District Department of the Interior (DDI). Later on during the same day, a group of members of the DDI, including 31 armed policemen, raided and searched his house and confiscated several items. The search was led by the DDI’s Investigation Department Director - A. Mahmadierov - DDI’s Criminal Investigation Department official - Sherali Turaev - and the Director of the Yakkabag Regional Department of the Interior - N. Niymatov. The policemen, 11 of whom were armed with guns, began searching the house without having presented either of the four women present in the house with a search warrant. Mr. Ruzimuradov's mother, wife, daughter and sister were present in the house during the search and all were violently beaten. His wife - Mrs. R. Ruzimuradova - and sister - Mrs O. Burieva - were beaten unconscious and his 76 year-old mother - Mrs. Burieva T. - was violently pushed to the floor.
According to Mrs O. Burieva, the policemen placed 9 leaflets from the religious party "Hizbut-ut Tahrir" in the house during the search, in what is thought to be an attempt to frame Mr. Ruzimuradov. The policemen also confiscated all the computer equipment in the house, which is the property of the HRSU, and several books and documents. After the search, Mr. Ruzimuradov's phone was disconnected and is reportedly still not working. Mr. Ruzimuradov is being detained incommunicado, and his whereabouts are not known.
The Observatory is gravely concerned about the incommunicado detention of Mr. Shovruk Ruzimuradov and, given the violent nature of the treatment given to his relatives by the policemen during the raid on his house, the Observatory fears that he may be subjected to torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment during his detention.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities of Uzbekistan urging them to:
i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Shovruk Ruzimuradov under all circumstances;
ii. order the immediate release of Shovruk Ruzimuradov in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial, independent and competent tribunal and guarantee his procedural rights at all times;
iii. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iv. put an end to all forms of harassment of human rights defenders and their organisations, and ensure that they are allowed to carry out their work without obstacles;
v. ensure the application of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the UN on December 9th 1998, especially with "respect to the protection of the right of all persons, "...individually or in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" (Art.1.) as well as the duty of the State to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure, adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration" (Art.12.2);
vi. ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards.
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, 22nd June 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need. The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch
Tel and fax FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / 01 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT + 4122 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29
UZB 003/ 0106/OBS 055
Arbitrary arrest/Incommunicado Detention/Ill-treatment
Uzbekistan
22nd June 2001
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Uzbekistan.
Brief description of the facts:
The Observatory has been informed by the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan (HRSU) and the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (KCHR) of the arbitrary arrest and incommunicado detention of Shovruk Ruzimuradov, the head of HRSU’s Kashkadar'ya Regional Department and the subsequent searching of his house.
According to the information received, on June 15th 2001, Mr. Ruzimuradov was arbitrarily arrested by members of the Kashkadaryn District Department of the Interior (DDI). Later on during the same day, a group of members of the DDI, including 31 armed policemen, raided and searched his house and confiscated several items. The search was led by the DDI’s Investigation Department Director - A. Mahmadierov - DDI’s Criminal Investigation Department official - Sherali Turaev - and the Director of the Yakkabag Regional Department of the Interior - N. Niymatov. The policemen, 11 of whom were armed with guns, began searching the house without having presented either of the four women present in the house with a search warrant. Mr. Ruzimuradov's mother, wife, daughter and sister were present in the house during the search and all were violently beaten. His wife - Mrs. R. Ruzimuradova - and sister - Mrs O. Burieva - were beaten unconscious and his 76 year-old mother - Mrs. Burieva T. - was violently pushed to the floor.
According to Mrs O. Burieva, the policemen placed 9 leaflets from the religious party "Hizbut-ut Tahrir" in the house during the search, in what is thought to be an attempt to frame Mr. Ruzimuradov. The policemen also confiscated all the computer equipment in the house, which is the property of the HRSU, and several books and documents. After the search, Mr. Ruzimuradov's phone was disconnected and is reportedly still not working. Mr. Ruzimuradov is being detained incommunicado, and his whereabouts are not known.
The Observatory is gravely concerned about the incommunicado detention of Mr. Shovruk Ruzimuradov and, given the violent nature of the treatment given to his relatives by the policemen during the raid on his house, the Observatory fears that he may be subjected to torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment during his detention.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities of Uzbekistan urging them to:
i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Shovruk Ruzimuradov under all circumstances;
ii. order the immediate release of Shovruk Ruzimuradov in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial, independent and competent tribunal and guarantee his procedural rights at all times;
iii. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iv. put an end to all forms of harassment of human rights defenders and their organisations, and ensure that they are allowed to carry out their work without obstacles;
v. ensure the application of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the UN on December 9th 1998, especially with "respect to the protection of the right of all persons, "...individually or in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" (Art.1.) as well as the duty of the State to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure, adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration" (Art.12.2);
vi. ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards.
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, 22nd June 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need. The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch
Tel and fax FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / 01 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT + 4122 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29