Front Line: Human rights defenders Mr Bahtiyor Hamrayev and Mr Mamir Azimov were beaten by police in Jizzakh, Uzbekistan

Mr Bahtiyor Hamrayev and Mr Mamir…
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• Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
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Hamrayev and Mr Mamir
Azimov beaten by police

Posted on 2009/11/17
Mr Bahtiyor Hamrayev

On 11 November 2009, human rights defenders Mr Bahtiyor Hamrayev and Mr Mamir Azimov were beaten by police in Jizzakh, Uzbekistan, reportedly because they met with Mr Bahodir Choriyev, the leader of the Birdamlik (Solidarity) Movement. Bahtiyor Hamrayev is head of the Jizzakh Region branch of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan (HRSU). Mamir Azimov is the Chairperson of the HRSU’s Jizzakh district branch. Bahodir Choriyev recently returned to Uzbekistan after spending time in exile in the United States. The Birdamlik Movement aims to peacefully change the regime of President Islam Karimov in Uzbekistan.
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Mamir Azimov reported that he was detained by two police officers for several hours on the morning of 11 November, but that he was permitted to go home for lunch on the condition that he would return to the station afterwards. At about 2pm, he met with Bahtiyor Hamrayev, Bahodir Choriyev and Ms Dilorom Ishakova, a colleague of Mr Choriyev, in a café. However, Mamir Azimov only had time to greet the other defenders before leaving the café. Two officers from Jizzakh district arrested him and took him back to the police station where he was severely beaten and held for several hours. He was beaten all over his body but the police reportedly avoided his face to avoid leaving bruises.

It is reported that Jahongir Ismailov, an officer from the Jizzakh district police department, and Nurillo, the Deputy Chief of the department and Head of the criminal investigation department, were involved in beating Mamir Azimov for about an hour. After the beating Mamir Azimov was forced to hold a chair over his head, and was shouted at if he lowered it, and threatened that he would be beaten again. This lasted for about an hour, after which he was allowed to return home at around 6pm. Later that evening he went to hospital, was seen by a doctor and discharged. Mamir Azimov was warned against meeting activists such as Bahodir Choriyev again. In addition, he was also warned not to seek medical help at a hospital and a police officer threatened to have Azimov’s arms and legs broken if he reported what had happened.

Bahtiyor Hamrayev reported that about ten police officers in plain-clothes beat him as he sat in a car with Bahodir Choriyev and Dilorom Ishakova after meeting Mamir Azimov on 11 November. The three human rights defenders had been sitting in the car for about half an hour, where they had moved after leaving the café, when a police officer first approached the car to warn them that they needed to move on. However, within a few moments police officers pulled Bahtiyor Hamrayev out of the car and began to beat him. Dilorom Ishakova tried to intervene, declaring that their actions were unlawful, but was unable to stop the beating. She later reported that Bahodir Choriyev also received blows, and that the police insulted her and swore at her.

It has been reported that police had gone to Mamir Azimov’s home on 9 November, but left when they saw that he was ill. The same day, Bahtiyor Hamrayev was reportedly detained for about four hours but released after the chief of police, who allegedly wanted to speak to him, did not appear. Front Line believes that these incidents form part of a campaign of harassment against human rights defenders in Uzbekistan, which began only days before Bahodir Choriyev and Dilorom Ishakova arrived in the country. Since 7 November 2009, local authorities in six locations have reportedly detained at least seven activists and beaten three of them, one of whom sought hospital treatment.

Front Line believes that the beating of Bahtiyor Hamrayev and Mamir Azimov is directly related to their work in the defence of human rights. Front Line is concerned for the physical and psychological integrity and security of Bahtiyor Hamrayev and Mamir Azimov.

Front Line urges the Uzbek authorities to:

1. Carry out an immediate, impartial and thorough investigation into the beating and detention of Bahtiyor Hamrayev and Mamir Azimov, with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;

2. Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Bahtiyor Hamrayev and Mamir Azimov;

3. Ensure in all circumstances that human rights defenders in Uzbekistan are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.