Opposition party member dies in hospital

Umed Tojiev died in a hospital in Tajikistan on 19 January. He was reportedly subjected to torture and other ill-treatment so that he would confess to being involved with terrorism. Such treatment led him to jump out of the third floor window of the police station in Sughd region, breaking both his legs.

Umed Tojiev died at the Central Hospital of Main Directorate of Implementation of Criminal Punishment (MDICP) in Sughd region. Umed Tojiev had been transferred from pre-trial detention to this prison hospital on 4 January 2014. His lawyer reports that the official reason given for his death was "thrombotic embolism". His defence lawyer intends to lodge a complaint about the treatment of Umed Tojiev in pre-trial detention.

Umed Tojiev, 34-year-old agricultural worker and member of the opposition Islamic Renaissance Party, was arrested on 30 October at a market in Sughd region. He was not allowed to see a defence lawyer until 13 November 2013. His family claimed that he had been tortured and ill-treated while in detention. Reportedly, between 30 October and 2 November several officers put a plastic bag over his head, denied him sleep, food and water, and used electric shocks through wet fabric in order to avoid leaving traces of torture. In desperation, Umed Tojiev jumped out of the third floor window of the police station in Sughd province, breaking both his legs. One lawyer, who saw him subsequently, stated that Umed Tojiev was carried into the meeting room as he could not walk, he was shaking and crying and he said he was forced to incriminate himself under duress.

Umed Tojiev was hospitalized with broken legs for four days and on 5 November was placed in pre-trial isolation detention. Although he was under the supervision of the detention medical officer, until his transfer to the prison hospital, his family believes that his medical treatment was not adequate.

Please write immediately in Tajik, Russian, English or your own language:

• Urging the authorities to launch a prompt, impartial and independent investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of Umed Tojiev, including adequacy of his treatment, and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice;
• Urging the authorities to ensure that his lawyers and family are provided with full medical records from the period of his detention and hospitalisation.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 5 MARCH 2014 TO:

Prosecutor General

Sherkhon Salimzoda

126 A. Sino Avenue

Dushanbe 734043

Tajikistan

(When sending letters through fax or

email, add request “Please kindly

forward this letter to the Prosecutor

General”)

Fax: +992 372 21 02 59

Minister of Internal Affairs

Ramazon Rahimov 
29 Tekhron Street
Dushanbe 734025 
Tajikistan

Fax: +992 372 21 26 48

Salutation: Dear Minister

And copies to:

Zarif Alizoda

Ombudsperson

7 Dzhalol Ikromi

Dushanbe 734025

Tajikistan

Fax: +992 372 21 79 69

Email: info@ombudsman.tj

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country.  

URGENT ACTION

Opposition party member dies in hospital

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Human rights in Tajikistan are frequently violated in the pursuit of groups perceived as a threat to national security, and civilians are often caught up in clampdown operations. Amnesty International’s research indicates that particular targets are religious movements and Islamist groups or parties, and that people accused of being Islamist extremists are at particular risk of torture and other ill-treatment in Tajikistan.

There are regular reports of torture and other ill-treatment of people detained on charges relating to national security and religious extremism, in detention facilities run by specialised departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) which include the Sixth Department (responsible for fighting organised crime); and ones run by the State Committee of National Security (SCNS). The SCNS is responsible for counter-terrorism operations, internal security, investigating fraud, and monitoring unregistered or banned groups, organizations or parties.

Name: Umed Tojiev

Gender m/f: m 

Further information on UA: 315/13 Index: EUR 60/001/2014 Issue Date: 22 January 2014.