Uzbekistan
19.03.01
Urgent Interventions
Uzbekistan: death in detention of a writer
Case UZB 190301
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 the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights, a member of the OMCT network, of the death in detention of the writer Mr. Emin Usman in Uzbekistan.
According to information received, on February 28, 2001, the well-known 56 year-old writer Emin Usman died in detention in the premises of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) of Uzbekistan. On February 11, 2001 in the afternoon Mr. Usman was arrested by militia officials near his house in the Navoi kolkhoz in the region of Tashkent. Upon his arrest Usman was taken to the basement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan. It is reported that his lawyer Ahmadjon Cautov was only able to have a meeting with his client on the fifth day after his arrest.
The MVD Prosecutor Abdumutal Zakrullaev informed Mr. Usman's lawyer that Mr. Usman was accused under article 244-1 of the Criminal Code of the Uzbek Republic (distribution of materials constituting a danger to public security). However, he stated that "he will also be charged under other articles including article 159" (infringement of the constitutional system).
On February 28 relatives of the writer were informed that he had committed suicide. On March 1 at about 4:30 a.m. law-enforcement officials brought Usman's body to his home. Meanwhile about 50-60 militiamen surrounded the block of buildings, blocked traffic, barred the entrance to Usman's home and refused the family permission to wash the body and hold a vigil. According to one of the relatives who was able to see the deceased "there was deep bloody wound on the back of his head". According to another source of information, the whole body "was covered with bruises".
On the orders of militia officials a hasty burial was conducted at about 6 o'clock in the morning under strict security. As one of the witnesses stated, "In fact, Usman was buried by militia officials. During the ceremony the cemetery was surrounded by a thick circle of militia officials and plain-clothes officials. Friends and relatives were not allowed anywhere near the grave."
According to the medical certificate delivered to his relatives after the burial ceremony, the cause of Usman's death was stated as "brain tumour".
Remarks
Emin Usman is the author of more than 20 books in the Russian, Uzbek and Uygur languages. He is widely known in Uzbekistan for his novels and stories. He was a member of the Writers Union of USSR and Uzbekistan.
Mr. Emin Usman was allegedly on a "black list" of the Uzbek special services for many years because of his religious beliefs and his public activity among ethnic Uygurs.
On February 22, 1999 he was arrested for the first time during mass arrests in Tashkent, charged with acts of terrorism and taken to the basement of MVD. At that time it was thanks to the protection of well-known Uzbek writers, including the oldest, Shukurllo, that he was spared brutal treatment. In August 1999 the Shaihantohur regional court of Tashkent reviewed the case of Usman and in February 2000 he was convicted and sentenced to three years' imprisonment under article 177 of the Criminal Code of the Uzbek Republic (illegal currency operations). He was granted amnesty and released from custody.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Uzbekistan urging them to:
1. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Emin Usman’s death, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
2. guarantee adequate compensation to Mr. Usman’s family;
3. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and 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
Please also write to the embassies of Uzbekistan in your respective countries.
Geneva, March 19, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
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 the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights, a member of the OMCT network, of the death in detention of the writer Mr. Emin Usman in Uzbekistan.
According to information received, on February 28, 2001, the well-known 56 year-old writer Emin Usman died in detention in the premises of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) of Uzbekistan. On February 11, 2001 in the afternoon Mr. Usman was arrested by militia officials near his house in the Navoi kolkhoz in the region of Tashkent. Upon his arrest Usman was taken to the basement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan. It is reported that his lawyer Ahmadjon Cautov was only able to have a meeting with his client on the fifth day after his arrest.
The MVD Prosecutor Abdumutal Zakrullaev informed Mr. Usman's lawyer that Mr. Usman was accused under article 244-1 of the Criminal Code of the Uzbek Republic (distribution of materials constituting a danger to public security). However, he stated that "he will also be charged under other articles including article 159" (infringement of the constitutional system).
On February 28 relatives of the writer were informed that he had committed suicide. On March 1 at about 4:30 a.m. law-enforcement officials brought Usman's body to his home. Meanwhile about 50-60 militiamen surrounded the block of buildings, blocked traffic, barred the entrance to Usman's home and refused the family permission to wash the body and hold a vigil. According to one of the relatives who was able to see the deceased "there was deep bloody wound on the back of his head". According to another source of information, the whole body "was covered with bruises".
On the orders of militia officials a hasty burial was conducted at about 6 o'clock in the morning under strict security. As one of the witnesses stated, "In fact, Usman was buried by militia officials. During the ceremony the cemetery was surrounded by a thick circle of militia officials and plain-clothes officials. Friends and relatives were not allowed anywhere near the grave."
According to the medical certificate delivered to his relatives after the burial ceremony, the cause of Usman's death was stated as "brain tumour".
Remarks
Emin Usman is the author of more than 20 books in the Russian, Uzbek and Uygur languages. He is widely known in Uzbekistan for his novels and stories. He was a member of the Writers Union of USSR and Uzbekistan.
Mr. Emin Usman was allegedly on a "black list" of the Uzbek special services for many years because of his religious beliefs and his public activity among ethnic Uygurs.
On February 22, 1999 he was arrested for the first time during mass arrests in Tashkent, charged with acts of terrorism and taken to the basement of MVD. At that time it was thanks to the protection of well-known Uzbek writers, including the oldest, Shukurllo, that he was spared brutal treatment. In August 1999 the Shaihantohur regional court of Tashkent reviewed the case of Usman and in February 2000 he was convicted and sentenced to three years' imprisonment under article 177 of the Criminal Code of the Uzbek Republic (illegal currency operations). He was granted amnesty and released from custody.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Uzbekistan urging them to:
1. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Emin Usman’s death, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
2. guarantee adequate compensation to Mr. Usman’s family;
3. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and 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
Please also write to the embassies of Uzbekistan in your respective countries.
Geneva, March 19, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.