AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

UZBEKISTAN: APPEAL CASE

6 December 2005: AI Index: EUR 62/032/2005; public

Mutabar Tadzhibaeva – Human Rights Defender

Amnesty International is concerned for the safety of human rights defender, Mutabar Tadzhibaeva, who was detained on 7 October. Mutabar Tadzhibaeva is the Chairwoman of the human rights organization Fiery Hearts Club,which is based in Ferghana City in Uzbekistan. She is also one of the founders of the national movement Civil Society and a 2005 Nobel Peace Prize Nominee. Mutabar Tadzhibaeva has monitored human rights violations in Ferghana Valley and she has reported on issues such as the violations of women’s rights to the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR), an international non-governmental organization which trains journalists in human rights reporting. Mutabar Tadzhibaeva was due to attend an international conference on human rights defenders in Dublin on 8 October and she was scheduled to fly to Tashkent on the evening of her arrest to get a connection to Ireland.

According to Mutabar Tadzhibaeva, an argument had arisen between her and an employee of her fish farm over a sum of money that he owed her and on 7 October the employee came to her house in Margilan, Ferghana Valley, to repay his debt. Reportedly, it was at this point that armed police and special force agents in masks entered her house and charged Mutabar Tadzhibaeva with swindling and extortion (Article 168 and Article 165 Part 2b of the Uzbekistani Criminal Code), the latter which carries a possible sentence of 10 to 15 years’ imprisonment. The police and special force agents also allegedly searched her house without a warrant and seized a computer and several documents.

In recent years, Mutabar Tadzhibaeva has come under increasing pressure from the authorities for her human rights activities. On 22 September 2005 she gave an interview to Radio Liberty in Uzbekistan, Radio Ozodlik, where she spoke out about the government’s crackdown on human rights activities since the Andizhan events and the trial of 15 defendants in connection with the Andizhan events, which started on 20 September.

Before 13 May, Mutabar Tadzhibaeva had also been working with the families of 23 entrepreneurs on trial in Andizhan. It is believed that the events in Andizhan were triggered in part by the trial of 23 local entrepreneurs, who were charged under various articles of the Uzbekistani Criminal Code for their alleged involvement with an organization by the name of Akramia, The Uzbekistani authorities accused members and supporters of Akramiaof attempting to organize the protests in Andizhan with a view to establishing an Islamic state in Uzbekistan. They also linked the movement to the banned Hizb-ut-Tahriropposition party, which they categorize as a "terrorist" organization. The 23 men have denied being linked to any banned Islamic groups. Mutabar Tadzhibaeva was due to visit the families of 23 entrepreneurs on 13 May, but she was summoned to the police that day by the Anti-Terrorist Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs where she was detained for three days.

Since the trial of the defendants in connection with the Andizhan events started on 20 September, several of the 15 defendants have reportedly accused her of being involved in the uprising. The authorities also reportedly spread a rumour that a criminal case had been filed against her for her supporting members of Akramia. Mutabar Tadzhibaeva has denied all allegations and reportedly started a hunger strike protest the day after her detention. It is believed that her health deteriorated and an ambulance was called.

Mutabar Tadzhibaeva is reportedly being held in a pre-trial detention centre in Ferghana City (SIZO-10). According to information received from Mutabar Tadzhibaeva’s lawyer, her current state of health is poor and she has allegedly been denied further medical attention. Her lawyer has also reported that Mutabar Tadzhibaeva has been threatened by guards and fellow detainees whilst she has been in detention. Furthermore, she has allegedly been denied all access to her family and she has often been refused access to her lawyer. Her lawyer has also reportedly been harassed by the authorities and is allegedly under constant police surveillance.

It is believed that Mutabar Tadzhibaeva was detained in order to suppress her human rights activities and to prevent her from attending the human rights defenders’ conference in Dublin. Amnesty International considers Mutabar Tadzhibaeva to be a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for carrying out her human rights work, and calls for her to be released from detention immediately and unconditionally.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in English, Russian, Uzbek or your own language:

- expressing concern for the safety of Mutabar Tadzhibaeva and calling for guarantees that she will not be tortured or ill-treated in detention;

- stating that Amnesty International considers Mutabar Tadzhibaeva to be a prisoner of conscience, imprisoned solely for carrying out her human rights work, and calling for her immediate release;

- expressing concern that Mutabar Tadzhibaeva has been given limited access to a lawyer and she has not been granted access to her relatives;

- expressing concern for her well-being and urging the Uzbekistani authorities to ensure that Mutabar Tadzhibaeva receives any necessary medical attention;

- reminding the authorities of the right of human rights defenders to carry out their activities without any restrictions or fear of reprisals, as set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights and Responsibilities of Individuals, Groups and Institutions to Promote and Protect Universally Recognised Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

APPEALS TO: (Please note that it can be difficult getting through to fax numbers in Uzbekistan. If a voice answers, repeat "fax" until you hear the signal; otherwise leave your fax machine on auto-redial if possible. Fax machines may be switched off outside office hours – 5 hours ahead of GMT):

President

Islam A. KARIMOV, Rezidentsia prezidenta; ul. Uzbekistanskaia, 43; Tashkent; UZBEKISTAN

Fax: + 998 71 139 53 25, email: presidents_office@press-service.uz

Salutation: Dear President Karimov

Minister of Internal Affairs

Zakirzhan ALMATOV, Ministerstvo vnutrennikh del RU, ul. Novruz 1; Tashkent; UZBEKISTAN

Fax: + 998 71 133 89 34

Salutation: Dear Minister Almatov

General Procurator of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Rashidzhon KODIROV

Prokuratura Respubliki Uzbekistan, ul. Gulyamova, 66, 700047; Tashkent, UZBEKISTAN

Fax. + 998 71 133 39 17/ 133 73 68, e-mail: prokuratura@lawyer.com

Salutation: Dear Procurator General

COPIES TO:

Head of the National Centre for Human Rights,

Akmal Saidov, Natsionalny tsentr po pravam cheloveka, 5/3, Mustakillik Maidoni, Tashkent 700029, UZBEKISTAN

Fax: +998 71 139 13 56

Head of the Ferghana regional administration

Khokimyat Ferganskoi Oblasti; ul. Alisher Navoiy, 13; Fergana 3732, UZBEKISTAN

Head of pre-trial detention centre SIZO-10:

Zaveduyushchemu uchrezhdenia, U-Ya 64/ SI-10, gorod Fergana, UZBEKISTAN .

and to diplomatic representatives of Uzbekistan accredited to your country.

You can send letters of support to the family of Mutabar Tadzhibaeva:

Semia Mutabar Tadzhibaevoi; kv. 32; ul. Zahro, 31; Margilan, Ferhana; UZBEKISTAN

You can also send letters of support to Mutabar Tadzhibaeva:

Mutabar Tadzhibaeva; sledstvenny izolator U-Ya 64/ SI-10; gorod Fergana; UZBEKISTAN

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 28 February 2006.

PLEASE SEND ANY REPLIES FROM THE UZBEKISTAN AUTHORITIES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO THE INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL (Eurasia Research and Campaign Team, Amnesty International, I Easton Street, London WC1X 0DW, United Kingdom)

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