E/CN.4/2003/68/Add.2
page 4
Introduction
1.
Following a joint request by the Special Rapporteur and the Chairman-Rapporteur of the
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in June 2000, the Government of Uzbekistan in
June 2002 invited the Special Rapporteur to undertake a fact-finding mission to the country
within the framework of his mandate. The mission was also discussed by the President of
Uzbekistan and the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the occasion of the latter’s visit
to the country on 18 October. The objective of the visit, which took place from 24 November
to 6 December 2002, was to enable the Special Rapporteur to collect first-hand information from
a wide range of contacts in order better to assess the situation regarding torture and other forms
of ill-treatment in Uzbekistan and thus be in a position to recommend to the Government a
number of measures to be adopted with a view to putting an end to those practices.
2.
During his visit, the Special Rapporteur met the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan,
Mr. Sultanov, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kamilov, the Minister of Internal Affairs
(MVD), Mr. Almatov, the Minister of Defence, Mr. Gulyamov, the Minister of Justice,
Mr. Polvon-Zoda, the Procurator General, Mr. Kodirov, the Acting Chairman of the Supreme
Court, Mr. Ishmetov, the Deputy Chairman of the National Security Service (SNB),
Mr. Mustafaev, the State Secretary on law enforcement agencies at the Presidential Office,
Mr. Azizov, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs in charge of the execution of sentences
(GUIN), General Kadirov, the Ombudsman, Mrs. Rashidova, and the Director of the National
Centre for Human Rights, Mr. Saidov.
3.
The Special Rapporteur visited the following places where persons deprived of their
liberty are held: the IVS/SIZO of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Tashkent, the prison of
Andijan, the district IVS/SIZO of the SNB of Ferghana Oblast in Ferghana, the Jaslyk colony,
the main psychiatric hospital in Tashkent and the Zangiata colony. Due to adverse weather
conditions, the Special Rapporteur was unable to carry out visits to Navoi and Karshi regions, in
particular the colony of Navoi 64/36, as originally planned.
4.
The Special Rapporteur notes with regret his inability to carry out the visit to Jaslyk
colony in a satisfactory and comprehensive manner. He also notes with serious concern that he
was denied access to the SNB lock-up in Tashkent (see below for further details).
5.
The Special Rapporteur met persons who themselves or whose relatives had allegedly
been victims of torture and other forms of ill-treatment and he received verbal and/or written
information from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and members of civil society,
including the following: Human Rights Watch Office in Tashkent, Mothers against Death
Penalty and Torture, Legal Aid Society, the Human Rights Society for Uzbekistan (OPCHU), the
Independent Human Rights Society for Uzbekistan (NOPCHU), Freedom House, Mazlum,
Ezgulik Human Rights Society, the Committee for Legal Assistance to Prisoners, the Initiative
Group for Human Rights, the Centre for Democratic Initiatives and the Tashkent Group for the
Defence of Human Rights. Finally, he also met with representatives of the Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe.