CCPR/C/128/D/2689/2015
United Nations
International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights
Distr.: General
22 June 2020
Original: English
Human Rights Committee
Decision adopted by the Committee under the Optional
Protocol, concerning communication No. 2689/2015*, **
Communication submitted by:
M.Z. (not represented by counsel)
Alleged victim:
The author
State party:
Uzbekistan
Date of communication:
17 November 2015 (initial submission)
Document references:
Decision taken pursuant to rule 92 of the
Committee’s rules of procedure, transmitted to
the State party on 27 November 2015 (not issued
in document form)
Date of adoption of decision:
13 March 2020
Subject matter:
Fair trial; access to a lawyer; ill-treatment;
dismissal of a university professor; presumption
of innocence
Procedural issue:
None
Substantive issue:
Level of substantiation of claims
Articles of the Covenant:
2 (3), 6, 7, 14, 15, 17, 19 and 26
Articles of the Optional Protocol:
2 and 5 (2) (b)
1.1
The author of the communication is M.Z., a national of Uzbekistan born in 1969. She
claims that the State party has violated her rights under articles 2 (3), 6, 7, 14, 15, 17, 19 and
26 of the Covenant. The Optional Protocol entered into force for the State party on 28
December 1995. The author is not represented by counsel.
1.2
On 27 November 2015, the Committee, acting through its Special Rapporteur on new
communications and interim measures, informed the author that it had decided not to issue a
request for interim measures under rule 94 of the Committee’s rules of procedure.
Factual background
2.1
On 9 June 2014, the author, a professor of French language at Bukhara State
University was approached by her student, N.B., who handed her an envelope. A few minutes
* Adopted by the Committee at its 128th session (2–27 March 2020).
** The following members of the Committee participated in the examination of the communication: Yadh
Ben Achour, Arif Bulkan, Ahmed Amin Fathalla, Christof Heyns, Bamariam Koita, Marcia V.J. Kran,
Duncan Laki Muhumuza, Photini Pazartzis,Vasilka Sancin, José Manuel Santos Pais, Yuval Shany,
Hélène Tigroudja and Gentian Zyberi.
GE.20-08192(E)