New allegations of ill-treatment and torture by Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov, the wrongfully imprisoned Karakalpak blogger and lawyer, have emerged following a prison visit by his lawyer.
In a March 24 statement, Tazhimuratov’s attorney, Sergey Mayorov, detailed “mental and physical torture,” including beatings by other inmates at the behest of prison officials and filthy conditions in Tazhimuratov’s cell. Tazhimuratov said his personal writings have been stolen and prison officials have apparently delayed and cut short his telephone calls to his family.
This is not the first time Tazhimuratov has alleged ill-treatment and torture in detention. At his trial in 2022, he claimed that while in pretrial detention, police had beat him and stood on his head, causing him to lose consciousness. In 2023, he filed complaints about inadequate healthcare and food in prison.
In his statement, Mayorov also said that between March 4 and 7, the first four days of his client’s 10-day stint in solitary confinement after an altercation with another inmate, guards seized Tazhimuratov’s uneaten food before he could break his fast, which he was keeping during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Denying a prisoner food during religious fasting is a violation of the obligation to respect Tazhimuratov’s freedom of religion as well as his right to freedom from inhumane treatment.
Mayorov also said that he had met with a prison official regarding Tazhimuratov’s allegations, noting that his client told him he had repeatedly tried to file complaints “to protect his rights,” but that the appeals “do not leave the [facility].” Mayorov has asked the prosecutor and Ombudsman to investigate.
Inhuman treatment of detainees is strictly prohibited under customary international law, and Uzbekistan is a party to several international human rights treaties that include the prohibition on torture and other inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. It’s important that obligations to prevent, investigate, and punish acts of prohibited treatment are met and that officials promptly investigate Tazhimuratov’s allegations and ensure he comes to no harm while in prison.
Yet as Tazhimuratov and other activists languish in prisons and forced psychiatric detention, Uzbekistan is gearing up host to a high-level European Union-Central Asia Summit later this week. As EU officials look to deepen bilateral agreements with Uzbekistan, they should stress the importance of upholding the rule of law and call for Tazhimuratov’s and other activists’ unconditional and immediate release.