United Nations special procedures mandate holders as Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; Working Group on Arbitrary Detention;Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders of the United Nations (hereinafter Coalition) have jointly addressed urgent concerns to the Government of Uzbekistan regarding severe human rights violations in the aftermath of the July 2022 protests in Karakalpakstan.
July 2022 Unrest in Karakalpakstan
On 1 July 2022, large-scale protests erupted in Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, following a proposal by the Uzbek Government to amend the constitution, which would reduce Karakalpakstan’s legal autonomy. The protests, primarily peaceful, aimed to oppose these amendments and respond to the detention of prominent local lawyer and journalist Daulet Tazhimuratov. Despite the peaceful nature of the protests, Uzbek police and law enforcement reportedly used lethal and excessive force, including small arms and grenades, to disperse the crowds. The authorities claimed the protesters acted aggressively toward the military.
On 2 July, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited Nukus to ease tensions, but by 3 July, at least 18 protesters had reportedly been killed. The government declared a state of emergency and a curfew in Karakalpakstan, lasting until 21 July. Communication was restricted, including internet shutdowns and limited mobile services, complicating the sharing of information about the crackdown.
By 5 July, over 500 people had been arrested, with reports of detainees being subjected to torture and denied access to legal representation and communication with their families. On 15 July, a joint commission was established to investigate the unrest, led by the Uzbek human rights Ombudsperson, but it has not yet released its findings.
On 18 July, the Prosecutor General’s Office announced that 21 people had died and 274 required medical attention, though reports suggest the actual number of casualties may be higher.
The Trials of Karakalpak Protestors
In the aftermath of the crackdown on the Karakalpakstan protests, several activists and protestors faced prosecution. The first trial began in November 2022 in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, involving twenty-two defendants (referred to as “Group 22”), accused of organizing the protests.
The defendants were charged with various crimes under the national criminal code, including conspiracy to seize power (Article 159(4)), embezzlement (Article 243), organizing or participating in mass riots (Article 244-1(3)), producing or disseminating materials threatening public security (Article 244-1(3)), and illegal seizure of firearms and ammunition (Article 247(3)(a)). These charges were linked to the organization and participation in the July 2022 protests. Allegations included inciting others to seize firearms from security forces.
Reports indicated procedural irregularities during the trial of Group 22. Defendants were allegedly held incommunicado, denied access to chosen legal counsel, and not provided with copies of the indictment. Some were reportedly promised leniency in exchange for not requesting official documents or appealing the trial results.
On 31 January 2023, the trial court issued sentences to the twenty-two defendants. Most pled guilty in exchange for clemency. Sentences ranged from noncustodial restrictions to 16 years in prison, with sixteen defendants appealing the decision.
On 6 February 2023, another trial began for thirty-nine defendants resulting in convictions and sentences ranging from 11 years in prison to parole. Twenty-eight defendants appealed.
On 5 June 2023, the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan reviewed the appeals of sixteen individuals from Group 22, suspending prison terms for eight, reducing sentences for six, and denying the appeal of Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov, who is serving a 16-year sentence in maximum security prison in deteriorating health conditions.
On 12 June 2023, the Court of Appeal ruled on the March 2023 judgments, releasing five appellants with restrictions, reducing sentences for sixteen, and maintaining the sentences for seven.
The joint coalition expresses concerns about these proceedings, emphasizing that they seem directly related to the exercise of freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, protected under international human rights law. Additionally, concerns were raised about procedural violations, mass trials undermining due process, excessive use of force against protestors, allegations of torture, and inhumane detention conditions. The coalition urges adherence to international human rights obligations, including fair trial guarantees under Article 14 of the ICCPR.
Key Concerns
- Reports indicate that the police used small arms and grenades to disperse protesters, leading to at least 18 deaths and hundreds of injuries.
- Over 500 individuals were detained, many subjected to ill-treatment, including torture and denial of legal counsel and family communication.
- Internet shutdowns and mobile service restrictions hampered the flow of information regarding the protests and the subsequent crackdown.
- Trials of protesters, notably the “Group 22,” were marred by procedural irregularities, with reports of coerced confessions and restricted access to legal representation.Activist Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov, among others, is reportedly detained under harsh conditions, contributing to significant health deterioration.
Coalition within their mandates established by the Human Rights Council seek to clarify all cases brought to their attention and asked for the following information:
1. Please provide any additional information and/or comment(s) you may have on the above-mentioned allegations.
2. Please provide information on the current conditions of detention and the situation of Group 22 members, the thirty-nine protesters prosecuted before the Bukhara Regional Court, and more generally any individual arrested and prosecuted in relation to the protests in the Karakalpakstan region of Uzbekistan in July of 2022.
3. Please indicate the measures taken to ensure the right to a fair trial of Group 22 members. Please explain how these measures are compatible with applicable judicial guarantees under obligations to respect human rights and international law.
4. Please provide detailed information on the measures which have been taken, or which are foreseen, to ensure full and impartial, effective, thorough and independent investigations, in relation to the deaths of protestors and the extent to which these investigations complied with international standards including the Minnesota Protocol. If measures have been undertaken, please make available the results of the investigations. If no such measure has been taken, please explain how this is compatible with the international human rights obligations of Uzbekistan.
5. Please provide detailed information on the measures which have been taken, or which are foreseen, to ensure full and impartial, effective, thorough and independent investigations, independent medical examinations, and judicial or other inquiries in relation to the allegations of arbitrary arrest, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. If measures have been undertaken, please make available the results of the investigations. If no such measure has been taken, please explain how this is compatible with the international human rights obligations of Uzbekistan.
6. Please provide information on the Investigative Commission led by the Uzbekistan human rights Ombudsperson, including the modalities and methodology in place to ensure it can carry out an efficient investigation and release its findings.
7. Please provide information about the conditions of detention in high-security colony KIN 11 and how these meet international standards. Please also provide information about the current health situation of Mr. Tazhimuratov and whether he has access to adequate medical care.
The Uzbek Government has been requested to provide detailed responses to the allegations and outline measures taken to address these human rights violations, however until today no information was provided. Joint communication from the Coalition to the Government of Uzbekistan was submitted on 16 August 2024. The Coalition’s communication was based on a detailed report prepared and submitted to the UN special mandate holders by Freedom Now, with contributions from Freedom for Eurasia.
