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Renewed crackdown on independent civil society in Uzbekistan

1 June 2009

Fearing security concerns, the government of Uzbekistan has stepped up its harassment of

independent civil society activists, following a reported explosion on the border with Kyrgyzstan

the night of 25 May.

At least five human rights defenders have been detained by police over the past week, including

Uzbek human rights activist Mukhtarov Farhodhon, a member of the Human Rights Alliance of

Uzbekistan, who is due to appear in court this afternoon on alleged charges of fraud.

“Increased intolerance of human rights activists in Uzbekistan should not be tolerated by the

international community,” said Ingrid Srinath, Secretary General of CIVICUS: World Alliance for

Citizen Participation. “Civil Society in Uzbekistan must be free to express its views freely and

assemble peacefully - we support their efforts to promote human rights in Uzbekistan.”

While Farhodhon was detained on 29 May, investigators reportedly told him that a complaint had

been filed against him by another Uzbek citizen. The nature of the complaint remains unclear, but

case has been initiated as fraud, under Article 168, Part 2, paragraph A of the Uzbek Criminal Code.

The investigating officer refused to allow Farhodhon to view the complaint, saying the case

materials would be made available after the criminal investigation in the presence of a lawyer.

While in detention, he was also reportedly approached by another officer, Ibragimov, who

threatened, “You were warned and now you are finished.”

Farhodhon says he believes the charges against him were fabricated due to his human rights

activities.

On 27 May, three other human rights defenders, Elena Urlaeva, Salomat Boymatova, and Ilnur

Abdulov, were arrested and held in detention in the capital of Tashkent. Abdulov, the only man of

the party, was severely beaten. Similarly, another human rights activist, Yuri Kiniplev, was forcibly

put into a police car and threatened, after which he was released in a remote part of Tashkent.