30.1.14

The Red Cross does not attend Uzbek prisoners since March 2013

— according to the spokesman of the
International Committee of the Red Cross David-Pierre Marquet

The Association for Human Rights in Central Asia (AHRCA) received a press releases from the Uzbek human rights group, who recently visited political prisoners: Murad Djuraev, Agzam Turgunov, Salijon Abdurakhmonov and Dilmurod Sayid. The press release alleged that the conditions of detention of these prisoners have improved after regular visits by various commissions, including the mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Uzbekistan.


The АНRCA knows from areliable sources that conditions in the penitentiary system of Uzbekistan doesnot yet comply with "Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners" and "Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners."

Uzbek authorities can no longer ignore the increased attention of the U.S. senators and international observers to the plight of imprisoned public figures. The visit of human rights defenders to political prisoners cheered them and maybe even gave them some hope of liberation. It is highly likely that the organisers counting on this result. Because right now preparation for the trip of Islam Karimov on February 21-23 to the Czech Republic is in full swing. And he knows that this visit is receiving very negative reaction in most of the democratic community, condemning his 25-year dictatorial rule.