Uzbek authorities were called for justice in the case of Kadyr Yusupov
A joint statement was made by the Association “Human Rights in Central Asia” (AHRCA), “Fair Trials International”, “Freedom Now”, the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC). The text says that “Uzbekistan must stop all pressure, including intimidation and threats, against family members of Kadyr Yusupov, a former Uzbek diplomat who is currently being tried on dubious charges of treason”.
Human rights organizations also called the Uzbek authorities to ensure observance of all international fair trial standards in the case of Yusupov and ensure the safety of members of his family, including his son Temur Yusupov, who reports constant harassment by law enforcement agencies.
The organizations, that signed this statement, learned that Kadir Yusupov’s youngest son, Temur Yusupov, was subjected to intimidation and surveillance, as well as restrictions of freedom to travel, which can be considered as punishment by law enforcement agencies for his active position in protecting his father.
On December 13, 2018, Temur Yusupov tried to go to a neighboring country, but he was not letted leave Uzbekistan by State security service’s officials without explaining the reason of this decision. They forced him to give a written undertaking, threatening that “otherwise it would be worse”. It is reported that, State security service’s officers continued to follow Temur during December 2018.
Surveillance was resumed on September 26, 2019, after Human Rights Watch posted a video report about Kadyr Yusupov, which was widely distributed on social networks.
“The pressure and threats from the State Security Service in relation to Temur Yusupov, apparently in revenge for attracting western observers to court hearings concerning his father’s case, are unacceptable and cast doubt on the effectiveness of reforms in Uzbekistan,” commented Nadejda Ataeva, the president of Association “Human Rights in Central Asia”.
Meanwhile, on October 7, Temur Yusupov filed an official complaint to the Prosecutor General about the need to take urgent measures against employees of the State Security Service who threaten to fabricate a criminal case against him. He called the Prosecutor General to hold officials responsible for obstructing justice, as well as for cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. The Prosecutor General has not yet responded to the complaint.
Since October 4, the day of the fifth court hearing, pressure on Temur Yusupov has intensified more than ever. He received a “special warning” from plainclothes men who introduced themselves as officers of the State Security Service. That day, after 21:00, they visited several relatives of Temur. Showing the State Security Service’s card, they threatened his relatives that they would “close” (deprive of freedom) Temur, if they did not calm him down. They also said that they needed to calmly end the trial and that no one should be brought to the next hearings. The closed trial against Kadyr Yusupov began on June 24, 2019 at the Military Court of Yunusabad district in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. A 67-year-old man is detained in the State Security Service and accused of high treason (article 157 of the Criminal Code). The charges date back to 2015 despite the fact that he has not worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2009, and has been retired for the past few years.
On December 3, 2018, Kadyr Yusupov was hospitalized after suffering a severe head injury and other serious injuries as a result of a suicide attempt when he was found on the railway tracks at Pushkin metro station in Tashkent. According to relatives, Yusupov suffered from a mental disorder, and he regularly took medicine. After a suicide attempt, being in an extremely depressed state, he soon declared himself a spy. There are serious reasons to believe that a serious mental health condition does not allow him to stand trial.
“Three years after the start of the reform process in Uzbekistan, the trial of Kadyr Yusupov clearly shows that the executive branch continues to exert pressure on the judicial system. Uzbekistan’s authorities should take steps to resolve this problem and stop threats against Yusupov, his family and his lawyer,” said Bridget Dufour, Director of the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR).
