Uzbekistan: Opening of the trial against Dauletmurat Tajimuratov

The Observatory has been informed about the opening of the trial against Mr Dauletmurat Tajimuratov, who was abducted in July 2022 along with his relatives and has been arbitrarily detained ever since. Mr Tajimuratov is a lawyer, independent journalist, and defender of the rights of the Karakalpak national minority in Uzbekistan.

On November 28, 2022, Dauletmurat Tajimuratov appeared before the Bukhara Regional Criminal Court for the first hearing in his criminal trial on the following charges:

• “Intentional grievous bodily harm” (Article 104, paragraph 3(a) of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan);
• “Conspiracy to seize power or overthrow the constitutional order” (Article 159 paragraph 4 of the same Code);
• “Theft by embezzlement or misappropriation at a large scale” (Article 167, paragraph 3(a) of the same Code);
• “Legalisation of proceeds of criminal activity” (Article 243 of the same Code);
• “Organisation of mass riots accompanied by violence” (Article 244, paragraph 3 of the same Code);
• “Preparation and dissemination of materials containing threat to public security and public order” (Article 244-1, paragraph 1(a, b, g) of the same Code).

The articles under which Mr Tajimuratov is accused carry penalties of up to 8, 10 and 15 years in prison. At the time of publication of this Urgent Appeal, he remained detained in pre-trial detention centre No. 11 in the city of Urgench, Khorezm region.

The Observatory notes that the judge hearing the case, Mr Yelubay Abibullayev, was criticised by Mr Tajimuratov in a video the latter published on his YouTube channel in November 2021 denouncing the judge’s alleged involvement in a corruption case. This creates a conflict of interest and raises concerns over the fairness and impartiality of the trial.

Mr Tajimuratov is being tried along with 21 individuals who participated or allegedly intended to participate in the July 2022 Karakalpak massive protests over the Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s proposed amendments to the Constitution of Uzbekistan, including the removal of the autonomous status of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. The protests were met with a brutal crackdown on civil society in the autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, as well as the imposition of a one-month regional state of emergency and an Internet shutdown in the above-mentioned autonomous Republic.

The Observatory recalls that Mr Tajimuratov was abducted on July 1, 2022 by alleged officers of the Uzbekistan National Security Service from his home in the city of Nukus, along with his wife, two brothers and 8-year-old daughter. Earlier on the same day, he and his nephew had been arbitrarily arrested following Mr Tajimuratov’s public announcement to Nukus residents about a peaceful and officially authorised protest over the constitutional amendments announced by the President of Uzbekistan. Mr Tajimuratov was released within two hours, and his nephew soon afterwards.

Upon his release, Mr Tajimuratov published a video denouncing the mistreatment he was subjected to in detention, including beatings on his chest. Shortly after the publication of this video, he and his family were abducted. While his wife and minor daughter were promptly released, Mr Tajimuratov’s whereabouts remained unknown for over a month until early August 2022, when officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs orally informed his wife that he was detained in a National Security Service prison in Urgench. On September 6, 2022, Uzbek media reported that Mr Tajimuratov was held in pre-trial detention centre No.11 in Urgench. The Observatory could not confirm whether Mr Tajimuratov has been allowed to receive family visits while in detention.

Mr Tajimuratov’s two brothers were sentenced to seven and 15 days of administrative arrest, respectively, following their abduction. Both were held in overcrowded cells, subjected to beatings, including on their genital area, and denied access to adequate food. One of them was hospitalised with heart problems following his release.

The Observatory condemns the ongoing arbitrary detention and judicial harassment of Dauletmurat Tajimuratov, and calls on the authorities to immediately and unconditionally release him and guarantee his right to a fair trial during the judicial proceedings in his case. The Observatory further condemns the arbitrary arrest and the alleged acts of torture and ill-treatment against his two brothers, which seem to be retaliatory measures against Mr Tajimuratov.

The Observatory further urges the authorities to carry out independent and thorough investigations into all human rights violations perpetrated against peaceful protesters, human rights defenders and independent journalists since July 1, 2022, in the autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, including the abduction of Mr Tajimuratov and his relatives.