Uzbekistan
13.11.00
Urgent Interventions
Uzbekistan: concern for the physical and psychological integrity of Vassiliy Evstigneev
Case UZB 131100
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Uzbekistan.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Vassiliy Evstigneev (brother of Elena Urlaeva who is a member of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan).
According to the information received from the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (KCHR), a member of the OMCT network, Vassiliy Evstigneev was moved from the “red zone” UA 64/49 (detention facility) in the town of Karshi to a medical penitential facility, located in Tashkent, at the end of October. Vassiliy’s relatives were informed that he has suffered a continuous haemorrhage of the rectum. It is believed that this is an injury sustained from torture as it is reportedly common knowledge that interrogation officers and guards in the “red zones” often torture detainees by inserting a bottle into the victim’s rectum. When Elena Urlaeva visited her brother in June 2000, although emaciated, he was apparently healthy. Vassiliy told his sister that he had been unmercifully beaten and tortured and he believed that this had happened because of the human rights activities of Elena Urlaeva. On 6 November 2000, the manager of the medical facility refused to allow the relatives of Vassiliy to visit him.
Vassiliy was sentenced in April 2000 to six years in prison, reportedly falsely accused of ‘extremism’, a common accusation in Uzbekistan.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Uzbekistan urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Vassiliy Evstigneev and ensure that he receives immediate and adequate medical care, as well as authorize visits from his family;
ii. order his immediate release in the absence of valid charges and guarantee an immediate investigation into these allegations of torture and ill-treatment, circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Islam Abduganievich KARIMOV, Respublika Uzbekistan, 700000 g. Tashkent, pr. Uzbekistansky, Rezidentsia prezidenta, Prezidentu Respubliki Uzbekistan, KARIMOVU I.A. Fax: ( 998 71) 139 53 15
Minister of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Siradzhuddin MIRSAFAYEV, Respublika Uzbekistan,700047 g. Tashkent. ul. Sayilgokh, 5 Ministerstvo yustitsii Respubliki Uzbekistan Ministru MIRSAFAYEVU S. Fax: (998 71) 133 51 76
Oliy Majlis Commissioner for Human Rights, Sayora RASHIDOVA (Ms), Respublika Uzbekistan, 700008 g. Tashkent, pl. Mustakillik, 2 Oliy Majlis Respubliki Uzbekistan, Upolnomochennoy po pravam, cheloveka pri Oliy Majlis, RASHIDOVOY S. Fax: (998 71) 139 85 55
Geneva, November 13, 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Uzbekistan.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Vassiliy Evstigneev (brother of Elena Urlaeva who is a member of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan).
According to the information received from the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (KCHR), a member of the OMCT network, Vassiliy Evstigneev was moved from the “red zone” UA 64/49 (detention facility) in the town of Karshi to a medical penitential facility, located in Tashkent, at the end of October. Vassiliy’s relatives were informed that he has suffered a continuous haemorrhage of the rectum. It is believed that this is an injury sustained from torture as it is reportedly common knowledge that interrogation officers and guards in the “red zones” often torture detainees by inserting a bottle into the victim’s rectum. When Elena Urlaeva visited her brother in June 2000, although emaciated, he was apparently healthy. Vassiliy told his sister that he had been unmercifully beaten and tortured and he believed that this had happened because of the human rights activities of Elena Urlaeva. On 6 November 2000, the manager of the medical facility refused to allow the relatives of Vassiliy to visit him.
Vassiliy was sentenced in April 2000 to six years in prison, reportedly falsely accused of ‘extremism’, a common accusation in Uzbekistan.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Uzbekistan urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Vassiliy Evstigneev and ensure that he receives immediate and adequate medical care, as well as authorize visits from his family;
ii. order his immediate release in the absence of valid charges and guarantee an immediate investigation into these allegations of torture and ill-treatment, circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Islam Abduganievich KARIMOV, Respublika Uzbekistan, 700000 g. Tashkent, pr. Uzbekistansky, Rezidentsia prezidenta, Prezidentu Respubliki Uzbekistan, KARIMOVU I.A. Fax: ( 998 71) 139 53 15
Minister of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Siradzhuddin MIRSAFAYEV, Respublika Uzbekistan,700047 g. Tashkent. ul. Sayilgokh, 5 Ministerstvo yustitsii Respubliki Uzbekistan Ministru MIRSAFAYEVU S. Fax: (998 71) 133 51 76
Oliy Majlis Commissioner for Human Rights, Sayora RASHIDOVA (Ms), Respublika Uzbekistan, 700008 g. Tashkent, pl. Mustakillik, 2 Oliy Majlis Respubliki Uzbekistan, Upolnomochennoy po pravam, cheloveka pri Oliy Majlis, RASHIDOVOY S. Fax: (998 71) 139 85 55
Geneva, November 13, 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.