Tortures to political
prisioners
Photo-documentation:
Independent human rights groups estimate that there are more than
600 politically motivated arrests a year in Uzbekistan, and 6,500
political prisoners, some tortured to death. According to a forensic
report commissioned by the British embassy, in August two prisoners
were even boiled to death.
The US condemned this repression for many years. But since September
11 rewrote America's strategic interests in central Asia, the
government of President Islam Karimov has become Washington's new best
friend in the region.
Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov visited the US in March 2002, where
he was warmly greeted by President Bush and Rumsfeld
The bodies of Muzafar Avazov, a 35-year-old father of four, and
Khusniddin Alimov, aged 34, were brought from Jaslyk prison in the
Northern Karaklapakstan region to their families in Tashkent on 8 August.
Muzafar Avazov was reportedly tortured to death; an eyewitness said the
body showed signs of burns on the legs, buttocks, lower back and arms.
Reportedly, there was a large wound on the back of the head, bruises on
the forehead, and the hands had no fingernails. The authorities
reportedly restricted viewing of Khusniddin Alimov's body.
The EU
drew attention on 5 September to the violent deaths in Jaslyk prison of two
prisoners, Mr. Muzaffar Avazov and Mr Khusniddin Alimov, allegedly as a result
of torture, and recalled the obligations of Uzbekistan in accordance with the UN
Convention against Torture, to which it is a party. The EU has been alarmed to
receive reports that a third prisoner, Numan Zafarov, may have died in the same
incident as Avazov and Alimov.
(From:
From "EU
Statement on Torture in Uzbekistan"
by the European Union, 21 Nov 2002)
The five members of Hizb-ut-Tahrir were reportedly tortured in order to
force them to "confess". The methods included near-suffocation with a
plastic bag, being hung upside down, having needles stuck under finger-
and toe-nails, having their hands and feet burned and having electric
shocks administered via a device fitted to the head ("electric cap").
Another Uzbek prisoner was tortured to death, contradicting U.S.
claims that Uzbekistan is making progress on human rights, Human Rights
Watch said today.
“Another prisoner tortured to death in Uzbekistan is not progress—it is
more of the same,” said Elizabeth Andersen, executive director of the
Europe and Central Asia Division of Human Rights Watch. “This is the
tenth torture-related death in custody we’ve documented in the past year
and a half. The State Department’s claims of human rights progress
simply do not reflect reality.”
Family members who helped to wash Gafarov’s body told Human Rights Watch
that they observed a large wound to his head that appeared to have been
caused by a sharp object. There was also bruising to the back of his
head. Gafarov’s rib cage, chest and throat were also bruised, and his
hands were scratched.
(From
"Uzbekistan:
Torture Death in Prison"
by Human Rights Watch, 3 May 2003)
The National Security Service detained Orif Ershanov in Karshi, a
city in southern Uzbekistan, on suspicion of belonging to the banned
Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir (Party of Liberation). He died in custody
on May 15.
Witnesses who saw the body told Human Rights Watch that it had heavy
bruising to the arms, shoulders, upper chest, legs and soles of the feet.
There were open wounds to one arm and his back. Several ribs were broken.
Photographs obtained by Human Rights Watch confirmed these injuries.
Witnesses also reported that there were indications that objects such as
needles had been forced under the fingernails.
(From
"New
Death from Torture in Uzbekistan"
by Human Rights Watch, 21 May 2003)
 |
