Uzbekistan: Murad Djuraev is sentenced to another term of imprisonment of three years 24 days

Prisoner Murad Djuraev received another prison sentence of three years and 24 days. This is the fifth consecutive conviction added to his main term of imprisonment. His new conviction once again showed the desire of the authorities to deprive Murad Djuraev of the prospects of ever to be released. Urgent intervention of the international community is required.
 

Murad Djuraev was born in 1952 in the town of Mubarak of Kashkadarya region. He is ethnic Turkmen, married and has three children. He graduated from the Tashkent Polytechnic Institute.

Between 1989 and 1992 he worked as the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the City Council of the town of Mubarek. Between 1991-1992 he was a member of Parliament of Uzbekistan.

He was accused of conspiring with the leader of the opposition political party "Erk" Muhammad Salih. According to the authorities, they wanted to organise a violent seizure of power.

Murad Djuraev has been in prison sense 18 September 1994.

On 4 December 2012 at 19:00 in the town of Almalyk of Tashkent region the trial of political prisoner Murad Juraev took place. He was sentenced to three years and 24 days of imprisonment under Article 221 part 2, paragraph "b" of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan "Disobedience to lawful demands of the administration penal institutions." This is his fourth conviction under a similar article of the Criminal Code and the fifth addition to his main term of imprisonment. Characteristically, Murad Djuraev’s hearing was held on the eve of  publication of the decision of the Senate of Uzbekistan of the amnesty in connection with the 20th anniversary of the Constitution of Uzbekistan.

Witnesses who were present at the hearing report that Murad Djuraev looked exhausted and skinny. He admitted that the only think that keeps him going is a sense of gratitude for his wife. All these years she consistently supports him and kept the same respect for him. Murad Djuraev admitted that he is ready to do everything possible to be free and with his wife.

• The Hearing

Public hearing of the criminal case against Murad Djuraev was held at Almalyk town court, presided over by Judge M.O. Nigmanov, court clerk I.S. Odilov and the assistant of the special prosecutor of the city of Tashkent J.B. Makhmudov. Murad Djuraev did not have a legal representative. His relatives also did not attend.

The verdict in the criminal case № 1-554/12 described four episode which formed the basis for the Court to characterise the actions of Murad Djuraev as disobeying the lawful demands of the administration of prison УЯ 64/45 located near the town of Almalyk of Tashkent region.
          - On 8 September 2012 M. Djuraev went to the barracks (the sleeping room for the inmates - Ed.) wearing the shoes which he wears outdoors. Under the decision № 234 he was sentenced to 15 days in the punishment cell (room for temporary solitary confinement - Ed.)
          - On 22 June 2012 M. Juraev smoked outside the area assigned in accordance with fire regulations for this purpose. Under the decision № 961 he was sentenced to 2 months in the punishment cell.
          - On 12 May 2012 M. Juraev exchanged tea for tobacco. Under the decision №1591 he was sentenced to 15 days in the punishment cell.
         - On 5 November 2011 M. Juraev did not carry out the work of landscaping of the colony assigned to him. Under the decision №650 he was sentenced to 15 days in the punishment cell.

On 14 December 2012 Murad Juraev’s lawyer sent an appeal which presented an alleged Juraev’s version of the events. Of these alleged violations Juraev could only remember the case when the remark was made by the Administration on 8 September 2012. Then, he went to the barracks in the shoes which he uses instead of slippers. The Prison Administration officials did not want to listen to him and classified the event as a "violation" on the eve of a meeting with his wife. Of all other alleged cases of violation Juraev first heard during the trial. 

• The Case of Murad Juraev

On 31 May 1995 Murad Juraev was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment to be served in a maximum security penal colony and confiscation of his property. On the basis of the amnesty, the sentence was reduced by three years.

Shortly before the end of his term on 27 July 2004 Juraev was convicted, on trumped-up charges under Article 221 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan, " Disobedience to lawful demands of the administration penal institutions", to three more years in prison. The same thing happened on 27 July 2006, as his last term of the sentence was about to expire they added three year sentence under article 221 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan. On 31 May 2009 under the same Article the sentence was again extended for three years and four months. Among other reasons, there is a punishment for the fact that he "improperly pilled carrots", while working in the kitchen.

On 13 November 2012 the fourth term of his imprisonment expired.

P.S. The AHRCA draws attention to the fact that the dates in this document are taken from the Judgments of the criminal case № 1-554/12 against Murad Juraev. In previous articles the AHRCA relied on dates recorded according to memory of Holbeka Juraeva (the wife).

The Association "Human Rights in Central Asia" (AHRCA) and Holbeka Djuraeva (the wife of Murat Juraev) strongly encourage all interested individuals, organisations and the media to draw attention to the case of Murad Djurayev and submit statements to the authorities of the Republic of Uzbekistan with an appeal for his release as soon as possible to the address listed below.

 

Addresses:

          • President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, ul. Uzbekistanskaya 43, Rezidentsia prezidenta, 700163 Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan, Fax: +998 71 139 53 25, E-mail:

presidents_office@press-service.uz;
         • Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdulaziz Kamilov, Ministerstvo inostrannykh del RU, pl. Mustakillik 5; 700029 Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan, Fax: + 998 71 139 15 17, E-mail: rnews@mfa.uz;
          • Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, Sayora Rashidova, ul. Xalqlar Dostligi 1, 700035 Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan, Fax: +998 71 139 85 55, E-mail: office@ombudsman.gov.uz;
          • Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Buritosh Mustafaev, Verkhovny Sud Respubliki Uzbekistan, ul. Abdulla Kodiri 1, 700183 Tashkent; Republic of Uzbekistan, Fax: + 998 71 144 62 93;
          • General Prosecutor of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Rashidjon Kodirov, ul. Gulyamova 66, 700047 Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan, Fax: +998 71 133 39 17, E-mail: prokuratura@lawyer.com;
          • National Centre for Human Rights, Senator Akmal Saidov Natsionalny, Tsentr po pravam cheloveka, Mustakillik Maidoni 5/3, 700029 Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan, Fax: + 998 71 139 13 56/45 16, E-mail: office@nchr.uz;
          • Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the United Nations in Geneva, PO Box 1853, 1215 Geneva 15, Switzerland, Fax: +4122 799 43 02, E-mail: uzbekistan@bluewin.ch;

Previous publications on this case:
          - Press Release «Uzbekistan: Ailing political prisoner Murad Djuraev is again placed in solitary confinement» dated 14 October 2012;
          - Press Release «It is not possible to find out the location of political prisoner Murad Djuraev for the last four months» dated 17September 2009;