Stop Violence Against Women


Human Rights Defender


Mutabar Tadzhibaeva

Uzbekistan

Human rights defender Mutabar Tadzhibaeva, chairwoman of the human rights organization Fiery Hearts and a founder of the national movement Civil Society, was sentenced on March 6th, 2006 to eight years' imprisonment by the Uzbekistan government. She was charged with 13 economic and political counts. The Nobel Peace Prize Nominee was detained on October 2005 on her way to attend an international conference on human rights defenders.

Ms. Tadzhibaeva had been under increasing harassment after she gave an interview with Radio Ozodlik where she condemned the authorities' crackdown on human right activists since the 2005 Andizhan massacre, where government forces fired into the large crowd of unarmed protesters killing hundreds.

Mutabar Tadzhibaeva's trial began on January 30th, 2006 and was kept under strict security even after limited access to the courtroom was granted on February 8th. During the investigation and trail Ms. Tadzhibaeva was reportedly denied access to some case files and given insufficient time to review materials and consult with her attorneys. Mutabar Tadzhibaeva's defense lawyers reported she was allowed access to her client only with three or four guards present and Ms. Tadzhibaeva was forced to sit in a cage through the whole of her trial. Her attorneys were also prohibited from cross-examining the prosecution's witnesses. On May 30th Mutabar Tadzhibaeva's appeal of her verdict was denied.

In June 2006, Mutabar Tadzhibaeva was transferred by authorities to the psychiatric wing of the prison for ten days. Authorities stated this was due to severe stress after her trial and appeal. Advocates and family claimed this was done as punishment.

Amnesty International considers Mutabar Tadzhibaeva to be a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for carrying out her human rights work, and calls for her immediate and unconditional release.


Please send letters to:

President Islam A. Karimov
Rezidentsia prezidenta
ul. Uzbekistanskaia, 43
Tashkent 700163
UZBEKISTAN
Fax: + 998 71 139 53 25
email: presidents_office@press-service.uz


And send a copy to:

H.E. Abdulaziz Kamilov
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the United States
Embassy of Uzbekistan
1746 Massachusetts Ave.
N.W., Washington, D.C.
email: embassy@uzbekistan.org


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