WUNRN
Martin
Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders
Uzbek Human
Rights Defender in Prison Wins 2008 Martin Ennals Award
(15 May 2008)
___________________________________________________________
WORLD ORGANISATION AGAINST TORTURE (OMCT)
Uzbek Human Rights Defender in Prison Wins 2008 Martin
Ennals Award
Geneva, 15 May 2008
Today
the Jury of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders announces as
2008 Laureate:
Mrs. Mutabar Tadjibaeva from
Uzbekistan was arrested after having criticized the government’s
handling of the massacre in Andijan, three years ago in May 2005. On 7 March
2006 she was sentenced to eight year imprisonment on 17 different charges
– including “slander” and “membership of an illegal organisation”. In 2006, she
was transferred to a psychiatric detention centre and forced to undergo medical
treatment. Her health condition is deteriorating due to detention conditions;
she is in an extremely precarious situation because of isolation and limited
access to her lawyer and relatives. Her
life is in danger; she may die in prison.
The tragedy of Andijan, where hundreds of
people were killed, should not be forgotten. The Government of Uzbekistan has
an historical opportunity to re-establish a dialogue with the international
community by releasing Mutabar Tadjibaeva. Uzbekistan’s
democratic future is not served by giving priority to political and economic
agendas over human rights.
The Chairman of the Jury of the MEA, Hans Thoolen,
describes the laureate as “an exceptionally brave woman in a country where
standing up for human rights is a dangerous activity which can lead to
imprisonment and death; where human rights defenders often have to choose
between prison or exile.” He draws attention to the laureate’s principled stand
to monitor abuses committed by governmental authorities. The ten
organizations on the Jury of the Martin Ennals Award demand the immediate
release of Mrs Tadjibaeva and
the guarantee that she will be safe. The MEA calls on the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to use its good offices for this
purpose.
From letters written by Mrs Tadjibaeva in prison
between August and November 2007 one can see the anguish and suffering: “….I do not want to be forgotten.”; “… They
are afraid of my truth, so they torture me this way.”; “… I
am holding out as much as I can.”
The Ceremony of the Martin Ennals Award will take place in Geneva on 20
November 2008.
The Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (MEA) is a unique
collaboration among ten of the world’s leading human rights organizations to
give protection to human rights
defenders worldwide. The Jury is composed of the following NGOs:
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human
Rights First, International Federation for Human Rights, World Organisation
Against Torture, Front Line, International Commission of Jurists, German
Diakonie, International Service for Human Rights and HURIDOCS. Previous laureates : Pierre Claver Mbonimpa, Burundi and Rajan Hoole-Kopalasingham
Sritharan, Sri Lanka (2007); Akbar Ganji, Iran and Arnold Tsunga, Zimbabwe;
Aktham Naisse, Syria; Lida Yusupova, Russia; Alirio Uribe Muñoz, Colombia;
Jacqueline Moudeina, Chad; Peace Brigades International; Immaculée Birhaheka,
DR Congo; Natasha Kandic, Yugoslavia; Eyad El Sarraj, Palestine; Samuel Ruiz,
Mexico; Clement Nwankwo, Nigeria; Asma Jahangir, Pakistan; Harry Wu, China.
Patrons of the Martin Ennals Award: Asma Jahangir, Barbara Hendricks, Jose Ramos-Horta,
Adama Dieng, Leandro Despouy, Robert Fulghum, Theo van Boven and Werner
Lottje†.
================================================================
To leave the list, send your request by email to:
wunrn_listserve-request@lists.wunrn.com. Thank you.