For almost three years, Dauletmurat Tajimuratov has been facing the ongoing torture, inhumane treatment, and politically motivated imprisonment at Uzbekistan’s Penal Colony No. 11. Findings, legal testimonies, and official documentation reveal a systematic pattern of abuse, while Uzbek authorities continue to deny wrongdoing.
Tajimuratov, sentenced in January 2023 to 16 years imprisonment for peacefully opposing constitutional amendments threatening Karakalpakstan’s sovereignty, has been subjected to escalating mistreatment. Despite repeated appeals to the Uzbek government and international human rights bodies, his physical and psychological condition continues to deteriorate.
- On March 24, 2025, Sergey Mayorov, his attorney, visited Tajimuratov and reported serious abuses.
- Prison guards and inmates have allegedly beaten Tajimuratov, subjected to forced labor in a lime factory without protective equipment, and poisoned with unknown substances in his meals.
- During Ramadan 2025, he was denied food during the hours between sunset (Iftar) and sunrise (Suhoor), obstructing his ability to observe his faith.
- He remains denied access to personal belongings, legal materials, and outside communication.
- His health has seriously declined, with renewed reports of ulcers, significant weight loss, and symptoms resembling lime dust inhalation poisoning.
In response to Sergey Mayorov’s appeal, the Special Prosecutor’s Office of Navoi region, Uzbekistan, conducted a preliminary inquiry. Their findings included:
- Tajimuratov’s sentence and placement in a strict-regime colony were upheld by both the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan and the Navoi City Criminal Court.
- Disciplinary actions against him included:
- A formal warning (21.11.2024),
- Revocation of a scheduled visit (03.01.2025), and
- Ten days in solitary confinement (04.03.2025).
- A forensic medical examination to document potential physical injuries was scheduled for 07.01.2025, but Tajimuratov refused to participate, citing fear and lack of trust.
- Inspection of prison body camera logs revealed that camera №0027 does not exist, and camera №0158, which could have captured critical incidents, was not issued on 04.12.2024.
- Despite these inconsistencies, the Department for the Execution of Sentences concluded no unlawful conduct occurred. The Prosecutor’s Office declined to initiate a criminal case criminal against prison staff (Decision dated 18.01.2025 under Article 83, Clause 2 of the Criminal Procedure Code). Freedom for Eurasia deems the findings of the internal review legally insufficient and ethically compromised. We call for:
- An independent international investigation into Tajimuratov’s treatment and conditions.
- Immediate access by UN Special Rapporteurs, international legal observers, and independent medical professionals.
- A transfer to a safer, less restrictive facility, given his health condition and former public service.
We urge the international community, human rights defenders, and all allies of justice to raise their voices against this campaign of repression and hold Uzbekistan accountable for its violations of international human rights law.
