Uzbekistan
28.10.04
Urgent Interventions
Uzbekistan: Open letter: Violent dispersal of a peaceful protest in Djizak
OPEN LETTER
To His Excellency Islam Karimov
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Paris-Geneva, October 28, 2004
Dear Mr. President,
The Observatory for the protection of Human Rights defenders, a joint program of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), expresses its concern about the violent dispersal of a peaceful picket in Djizak, on October 15, 2004.
According to the information received from the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan (HRSU), 25 to 30 demonstrators from different human rights organizations, for the most part from HRSU, gathered at 10 a.m. on October 15, and approached the regional administration building (Hokimiat). They planned to protest against human rights violations against farmers, including beatings and arbitrary arrests perpetrated by law enforcement bodies and regional officials. Among the protesters were the wife and four children of Mr. Olimjon Turaev, a farmer who had been beaten and arrested by militiamen because he had refused to forcibly transport harvested cotton on September 24, 2004. He was then taken into custody and charged with “hooliganism”.
This picket was decided on 10 October by several human rights organisations and on October 11, number of regional state organisations, including the Hokimiat, as well as international organisations, embassies and radios were notified about this event.
According to the information received, a group of about 50 people in civilian clothes, including Mr. Ergashev and Mr. Mamatkul, alleged directors of collective farms and agricultural state enterprises with previous aggression record, started to encircle the protesters, after 20 minutes. The attackers started pressing the demonstrators against a fountain, taking away and tearing apart their posters, and eventually throwing some of them into the water. The aggression went on as Mr. Ergashev reportedly beat Mr. Turaev's children.
According to HRSU, the militiamen who later arrived at the place did not intervene. On the contrary, they attempted to conduct the demonstrators to the closest militia department, arguing they had violated the law on assemblies. Messrs. Bahtier Hamraev (chairman of HRSU), Djuma Hazratov (chairman of Arnasai regional branch of HRSU) and Mamaradjab Nazarov (chairman of Zarbdorskiy regional branch of Ezgulik, a human rights NGO), were taken to militia departments. They were all released on the same day without charges.
The Observatory is very concerned about these events. The authorities failed to protect the demonstrators; they indeed showed a clear disregard of their obligation to protect peaceful protesters, to guarantee their freedom of assembly and expression and to fight against impunity.
The Observatory urges the Uzbek authorities to identify and sanction the authors of violence against the demonstrators, as well as to conform with the provisions of the Declaration on human rights defenders, adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998. In particular its article 5.a states that “For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to meet or assemble peacefully” and article 12§2 states that “[t]he State shall take all necessary measures 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”. More generally, the Observatory urges the Uzbek authorities to respect fundamental freedoms provided for by international human rights standards.
In hope you will take these considerations and requests into account,
We remain,
Sidiki KABA Eric SOTTAS Président de la FIDH Directeur de l’OMCT
To His Excellency Islam Karimov
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Paris-Geneva, October 28, 2004
Dear Mr. President,
The Observatory for the protection of Human Rights defenders, a joint program of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), expresses its concern about the violent dispersal of a peaceful picket in Djizak, on October 15, 2004.
According to the information received from the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan (HRSU), 25 to 30 demonstrators from different human rights organizations, for the most part from HRSU, gathered at 10 a.m. on October 15, and approached the regional administration building (Hokimiat). They planned to protest against human rights violations against farmers, including beatings and arbitrary arrests perpetrated by law enforcement bodies and regional officials. Among the protesters were the wife and four children of Mr. Olimjon Turaev, a farmer who had been beaten and arrested by militiamen because he had refused to forcibly transport harvested cotton on September 24, 2004. He was then taken into custody and charged with “hooliganism”.
This picket was decided on 10 October by several human rights organisations and on October 11, number of regional state organisations, including the Hokimiat, as well as international organisations, embassies and radios were notified about this event.
According to the information received, a group of about 50 people in civilian clothes, including Mr. Ergashev and Mr. Mamatkul, alleged directors of collective farms and agricultural state enterprises with previous aggression record, started to encircle the protesters, after 20 minutes. The attackers started pressing the demonstrators against a fountain, taking away and tearing apart their posters, and eventually throwing some of them into the water. The aggression went on as Mr. Ergashev reportedly beat Mr. Turaev's children.
According to HRSU, the militiamen who later arrived at the place did not intervene. On the contrary, they attempted to conduct the demonstrators to the closest militia department, arguing they had violated the law on assemblies. Messrs. Bahtier Hamraev (chairman of HRSU), Djuma Hazratov (chairman of Arnasai regional branch of HRSU) and Mamaradjab Nazarov (chairman of Zarbdorskiy regional branch of Ezgulik, a human rights NGO), were taken to militia departments. They were all released on the same day without charges.
The Observatory is very concerned about these events. The authorities failed to protect the demonstrators; they indeed showed a clear disregard of their obligation to protect peaceful protesters, to guarantee their freedom of assembly and expression and to fight against impunity.
The Observatory urges the Uzbek authorities to identify and sanction the authors of violence against the demonstrators, as well as to conform with the provisions of the Declaration on human rights defenders, adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998. In particular its article 5.a states that “For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to meet or assemble peacefully” and article 12§2 states that “[t]he State shall take all necessary measures 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”. More generally, the Observatory urges the Uzbek authorities to respect fundamental freedoms provided for by international human rights standards.
In hope you will take these considerations and requests into account,
We remain,
Sidiki KABA Eric SOTTAS Président de la FIDH Directeur de l’OMCT