An independent investigation on the cause of death
of the prisoner Khazhiakbar Ishanhodzhaev must be launched immediately and the
perpetrators must be held accountable.
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| Sergey Ignatyev |
In early January 2020, prisoner Khozhiakbar
Shukhratovich ISHANHODZHAYEV (born 1993) died in a penitentiary institution
KIN-2, located in the Shaykh Ali village of Karshi in the Kashkadarya region.
The cause of death is multiple burns to the
body. First, efforts to save Ishankhodjaev were made in the city hospital
in Karshi, then he was transported by train to the prison hospital - to the “Sangorod”,
where he died in torment.
As it became known, on December 30, 2019,
Khozhiakbar Ishankhodjaev was in a hut, where he performed the duties of the
so-called “capter,” that is, responsible for economic activity. When all
the other prisoners were at breakfast, he doused himself with a solvent and set
himself on fire.
Such a desperate step was prompted by prolonged
bullying and discrimination by the deputy head of the colony, Akmal Ochilov.
Regarding these circumstances Ishanhodzhayev repeatedly told his relatives
- Ochilov was engaged in extortion and constantly mocked him, humiliating his
human dignity.
The day before, the Ochilov called Ishankhodjaev to
his office and demanded that two mobile telephones submitted by the
prisoners before the shift be handed over. For failure to
comply with the order, Ochilov threatened to place Ishankhodzhaev in a specially
designated place in the barracks for the “offended” - the so-called prisoners
under article 120 (“Sodomy”) and those who were subjected to acts of sexual
abuse, which was probably the last step of the prisoner to self-immolation.
Departmental officials are not interested in
publicizing the death of Ishankhodzhaev, especially on the eve of the 128th
session of the UN Human Rights Committee, which will consider the report of the
Government of Uzbekistan on the implementation of the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights.
The real reasons behind Khozhiakbar Ishanhodzhaev's
imprisonment are still to be investigated. So far, it is only known that
on May 28, 2015, Khozhiakbar Ishanhodzhaev was sentenced to 16 years in prison
under article 119 part 4 (“Forcible satisfaction of sexual needs in an
unnatural form”) of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan. And it is also known
from the prisoners of the colony where Ishanhodzhayev died that he was
imprisoned on charges based on a false denunciation of a former female living
partner - in retaliation for failed marriage plans.
Investigations into deaths of prisoners are almost
always conducted formally. The absence of transparent monitoring of
prison conditions and lack of operational legal mechanisms for protection
against torture lead to suicide, and those responsible for this remain
unpunished.
Association for Human Rights in Central Asia -
AHRCA expresses concern about the ongoing torture and ill-treatment of
prisoners in Uzbekistan.
