Freedom for Eurasia has received information from the family regarding the deteriorating situation of Dauletmurat Tajimuratov, a Karakalpak lawyer, journalist, and human rights defender who is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence in Navoi Prison Colony No. 11 in Uzbekistan. Dauletmurat Tajimuratov was arrested in July 2022 following his peaceful activism during protests against proposed constitutional changes that threatened the sovereignty of Karakalpakstan. He was subsequently convicted in January 2023 on a range of charges widely criticised by international rights groups and UN mechanisms as politically motivated and arbitrary.
Relatives and sources report that the prison administration now intends to transfer Dauletmurat Tajimuratov back to the maximum-security section of Navoi prison a location where he spent the first two years of his imprisonment before being moved to a general-regime section. This transfer is reportedly scheduled to occur this weekend, according to family information. The maximum-security section of the prison is understood to impose significant additional restrictions that go beyond those of the general regime. Sources familiar with his detention conditions describe:
- Severe limitations on family visits and communication, including stricter search and approval procedures for visiting relatives;
- Further curtailment of access to exercise and open-air time compared to general-regime sections;
- More constrained access to basic provisions and medical services;
- Heightened supervision and fewer opportunities for interaction with other detainees or participation in programmes, effectively increasing social isolation.
According to his family, the stated justification by prison authorities for the transfer is that Dauletmurat Tajimuratov is allegedly “systematically violating internal regulations.” However, the family and civil society monitors report that this mirrors a pattern of punitive disciplinary measures rather than substantiated violations. Previous allegations have been raised repeatedly without independent investigation. Attorney and family testimonies have documented restrictive conditions and denial of basic rights in prison, such as limitations on access to adequate nutrition, delays in medical care, forced labour requirements, and restricted correspondence factors that have contributed to a deterioration of his physical and mental health.
Freedom for Eurasia recalls that these punitive actions and restrictions have accompanied Tajimuratov’s detention from the beginning of his imprisonment. Independent observers and family members have raised concerns about routine denial of visits without notice and disproportionate use of disciplinary punishments without transparent evidence.
In light of these circumstances, including the pattern of administrative retaliation, opaque decision-making, and restrictive conditions in the maximum-security section, Freedom for Eurasia expresses serious concern about Dauletmurat Tajimuratov’s treatment and calls on the relevant authorities to release him.
Freedom for Eurasia urges international partners, UN mechanisms, and human rights defenders to put pressure on Uzbekistan authorities and demand Tajimutratov’s release.