Dauletmurat Tajimuratov, Karakalpak lawyer and Human Rights Defender was unlawfully imprisoned for demanding the right tof Karakalpakstan people to secede from Uzbekistan preserved in the Constitution. He opposed to the attempts by the Uzbek authorities to remove this paragraph from the Constitution through constitutional reform. These attempts led to protests in Karakalpakstan, which were violently suppressed by the Uzbek authorities and resulted in numerous casualties and arrests of hundreds of Karakalpak peaceful protestors. Dauletmurat Tajimuratov andn other Karakalpaks unlawfully imprisoned must be released and charges against them must be dropped.
In the meantime, considering the health deterioration and repetitive threats received by Dauletmurat Tajimuratov, we urgently request Uzbekistan’s authorities to reconsider his place of detention in accordance with Article 58 of the Penal Enforcement Code, “Separate detention of convicts in penal institutions for former court employees and law enforcement officers.” Dauletmurat Tajimuratov has right to serve his sentence in a special colony in accredited with above provision since during his career he held the following positions:
– 1998-2000: Adaptation Center for Those Who Have Served Their Sentences in Karauzyak District of the Republic of Karakalpakstan
– 2000-2001: Senior Inspector of Constitutional Supervision of the Republic of Karakalpakstan
– 2007-2008: Lawyer of the Committee of Nature Protection
Based on the above and considering that all previous convictions of Dauletmurat Tajimuratov have been expunged, he has an absolute right to serve his sentence in a special colony for former state officers. Previously, Tajimuratov’s lawyer submitted a request to the court and the Department of Penal Enforcement for the transfer; however, all responses were left unanswered, except for a claim made by Tajimuratov’s lawyer, Sergey Mayorov, about threats Tajimuratov received from the head of prison KIN 11 and the daily humiliation he faces. On August 2, Sergey Mayorov received a response letter from the Department of Penal Enforcement stating:
“Issues raised in your letter were comprehensively studied by the competent services of the Department of Execution of Punishment under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Following the results of the review, we inform you that each received appeal on the application of unlawful behavior by prison staff to convicts is subject to mandatory verification, following which copies of the materials are sent to the prosecutor’s office to analyze the legality of actions. We also inform you that according to the results of the audit, the arguments set out in your application have not been confirmed. Regarding the transfer of the convicted Tajimuratov D.M. for further serving of his sentence to one of the colonies located in the Tashkent region, we inform you that according to Article 57 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the transfer of a convicted person for further serving of a sentence from one colony to another of the same type is allowed to ensure his safety, with his consent, as well as under other circumstances that prevent the convict from further staying in this institution. Currently, there are no circumstances preventing the further stay of Tajimuratov D.M. in the colony; based on this, his transfer to another colony is not advisable.”
Despite providing the necessary documents and proof, authorities refused to transfer Tajimuratov, putting his life at risk in colony KIN 11.
We reported the deterioration of Tajimuratov’s health due to the terrible conditions of compulsory labor for prisoners. Tajimuratov works in a lime production shop without protective clothing or a mask, showing clear signs of lime dust poisoning. He has ulcers on his feet, hands, and lips due to working barefoot in flip-flops and without gloves or respirators. Tajimuratov cannot receive adequate medical treatment as evidenced by an incident on February 27, 2024, when Deputy Warden of colony KIN 11, Mr. Hasanov, pressured the chief doctor to discharge Tajimuratov from the hospital on the same day.
Freedom for Eurasia urges the Government of Uzbekistan to provide immediate and adequate medical treatment to Dauletmurat Tajimuratov, transfer him to the special colony KIN-22 for former state officials and re-consider his verdict to have the charges against him dropped.
