To the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov: We demand the release of human rights defender Azam Farmonov!

We who sign this petition demand that chairman of Human Right's Society of Uzbekistan's (HRSU) Sirdaryo branch Azam Farmonov be freed from prison. Watch video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao_tu10__o8

Azam Farmonov was put in jail on the 29th of April 2006 along with another human rights defender Alisher Karamatov. On the 16th of June, 2006 court of Yangiyer city sentenced Azam Farmonov to 9 years in prison for extortion.[1,2,3,4]

Azam Farmonov was subjected to torture and inhumane conditions while the pre-trial investigations were going on. They hit his heels with a stick and suffocated him with disconnected gas mask.

Azam Farmonov defended the rights of farmers and people with disabilities.

Azam Farmonov’s wife Ozoda Yoqubova continuously reported to international human rights organizations, the world community about how her husband was tortured. Azam Farmonov’s release date from prison was supposed to be the 29th of April 2015 but another 5 years and 26 days was added to his sentence on account of him violating
prison rules.

“As his sentence neared its end he was thrown into punishment cell 3 times. For 5 days in January, 10 in February
and for 20 days in March. Also he was moved to prison that houses those who were sentenced to life in prison where he was tortured badly. They suffocated him with special rubber that wrapped around his head. I nearly passed out, they put some bag on my head and my head had to be down while I was being moved, he told me. He even showed me the marks on his arm from handcuffs” said Ozoda Yoqubova to radio “Ozodlik”. [5]

Azam Farmonov is being held at Jaslyq prison since since the 17th of July 2006.

At the beginning of this year Azam Farmonov wrote a letter to
Secretary-general of the UN Ban Ki-moon in which he described the Jaslyq prison: “Inmates don’t have any contact rights with the outside world. Complaints, petitions and other rights are violated openly. Daily routine is designed by the prison board to torture inmates both physically and mentally.” [6]

Azam Farmonov’s release from prison has been demanded by Front Line Defenders, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, FIDH and high ranking officials of the USA, European Union.

On his official visit to Uzbekistan, Ban Ki-moon met with president Islam Karimov on the 12th of June, 2015 and he asked for the release of political prisoners including Azam Farmonov.

Unfortunately Azam Farmonov still hasn’t been freed.

President Karimov, I urge you to:
Ensure the prompt release of Azam Farmonov.
Ensure a prompt, impartial and effective investigation into
allegations that he was tortured in custody.

Petition was written by:
Abdujalil Boymatov
President of Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan
7th of December 2015

1. UZBEKISTAN : Azamjon Formonov sentenced to five additional years in prison 27.05.2015. (https://www.fidh.org/en/region/europe-central-asia/uzbekistan/uzbekistan-azamjon-formonov-sentenced-....

2. Uzbekistan: 5 More Years for Jailed Activist. 28.05.2015.
(https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/05/28/uzbekistan-5-more-years-jailed-activist).

3. Letter from an Uzbek Prison: Azam Farmonov sentenced to additional 5 years. 29.05.2015 (https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/28810).

4.Amnesty International considers Alisher Karamatov, aged 41, and Azam Farmonov, aged 30, to be prisoners
of conscience. 2011. (http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/cases/uzbekistan-alisher-karamatov-and-azam-farmonov?id=1181055).

5. Аъзам Фармонов турмуш ўртоғи унинг
қийноққа тутилганини билдирди. 05.07.2015.
( http://www.ozodlik.org/content/article/27110785.html).

6. Азамжон Формоновнинг Бирлашган
МиллатларТашкилоти Бош Котиби жаноб
Пан Ги Мунга йўллаган хати. 22.05.2015.
(http://uz.hrsu.org/archives/7424#more-7424).