Family members visited Karakalpak human rights defender Dauletmurat Tajimuratov in a maximum security Prison No. 11 in Navoi. According to the court verdict, Tajimuratov must serve the first two years of his sixteen-years sentence in maximum security prison and the remainder in a colony. Tajimuratov, a prominent lawyer known for his advocacy for the rights and interests of the Karakalpak people, was a key figure opposing the amendments that sparked widespread unrest in July 2022. On July 5, 2024 his two-year term in maximum security prison will end, and he is due to be transferred to a colony with less strict rules and more opportunities for family visits.
Dauletmurat Tajimuratov continues to endure torture and threats in an Uzbekistan prison, after his arrest for his role in peaceful protests against proposed constitutional amendments that threatened Karakalpakstan’s autonomy.
On June 27, 2024, one day before the family visit, Tajimuratov was beaten by the prison administration, with four guards holding him down while one administered the beating. The head of the prison threatened Tajimuratov that despite the upcoming transfer to the colony, within a month his immediate return to maximum security will be easily arranged. Freedom for Eurasia previously reported on the inhumane treatment and torture faced by Tajimuratov in prison. He is constantly threatened by the prison administration and faces obstacles in receiving food packages from his family.
The international community is urged to demand Tajimuratov’s release and hold Uzbekistan accountable for human rights abuses.
