• Urgent Action

Urgent Action Update: Torture Fears For Detained Human Rights Lawyer (Tajikistan: UA 209.15)

October 4, 2017

Human rights lawyer Buzurgmekhr Yorov is serving a 28-year prison sentence on politically motivated grounds. He is allegedly being subjected to regular beatings – accompanied by threats, insults and harassment – by officials at the detention center. Buzurgmekhr Yorov continues to be at serious risk of torture and other ill-treatment.

Human rights lawyer Buzurgmekhr Yorov is serving a 28-year prison sentence on politically motivated grounds. He is allegedly being subjected to regular beatings – accompanied by threats, insults and harassment – by officials at the detention center. Buzurgmekhr Yorov continues to be at serious risk of torture and other ill-treatment. 1) TAKE ACTION Write a letter, send an email, call, fax or tweet:
  • Calling on them to release Buzurgmekhr Yorov immediately and to quash convictions based on unfounded and politically motivated charges;
  • Calling on them to ensure that, if Buzurgmekhr Yorov is guilty of any recognisable criminal offences, these must be established in fair trial proceedings;
  • Urging them to protect Buzurgmekhr Yorov from torture and other ill-treatment, pending his release, and to order a prompt, impartial and effective investigation into his allegations of torture and ill treatment;
  • Urging them to ensure that all lawyers in Tajikistan can perform their professional duties without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference in line with the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers.

Contact these two officials by 15 November, 2017:

Minister of Justice  Rustam Shoemurod Rudaki avenue 25 Dushanbe, 734025, Tajikistan Fax: +992 372 21 80 66 Salutation: Dear Minister

Ambassador Farhod Salim, Embassy of the Republic of Tajikistan 1005 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20037 Phone: 1 202 223 6090 I Fax: 1 202 223 6091 Email: [email protected] Twitter: @FarhodSalim Salutation: Dear Ambassador

2) LET US KNOW YOU TOOK ACTION Click here to let us know if you took action on this case! This is Urgent Action 209.15 Here’s why it is so important to report your actions: we record the actions taken on each case—letters, emails, calls and tweets—and use that information in our advocacy. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES