Thursday, December 27, 2007
The courage of Yusuf Juma
Earlier this month, Yusuf Juma and his sons began a series of small demonstrations in Bukhara, by holding posters which called for the resignation of President Karimov. There was an election campaign at the time. They were severely beaten for this. In the evening, the Uzbek security forces stormed Yusuf Juma's house. They killed two of the family's dogs, They destroyed the poet's archive and library as well as other personal possessions. They arrested his daughter. Yusuf Juma escaped. He wrote an account of what happened on that evening. This is part of his account:
"At approximately 18.00 we heard people outside shouting ‘Babur! Babur! Run away!” I was reading at this time. I looked out from the window, but didn’t see anyone. I then went outside and saw a lot of people getting out of their cars. Having seen this entire army all the people in the village were shouting to us, “Run away! Run away!” Then the men started shooting.
"Bullets were coming like rain from all directions. They were shooting from our cow-shed. I ran away, barefoot. My wife and nine-year-old son Javhar ran out of the second house. Three of us hid behind a water tank. A group of armed men stormed into my room. I heard one of my sons asking to see whoever was in charge.
"Another two of my children were left surrounded in our second house. They were still shooting. We heard the sounds of dogs, cows, geese, and chicken being shot.
"One of the armed men spoke. "He must be a leader of the terrorists. Here are his notebooks, his books. He might be hiding behind the curtain. Open fire!" Another said, "Smash the head of this man who has lifted his head against our Leader!"
"They were shooting ceaselessly from four sides. "We are dead . . . " whispered my wife. "Forget about us, but what will happen with the kids? They’ll also be killed."
"My son Javhar was trying to hide my foot. "They can see it, they will shoot!" he whispered.
"They were shooting in all the rooms, shooting everywhere. They were shooting at locked doors. They were using automatic machine guns, pistols and firearms.
""Mother f***er, this guy's house is surrounded by trees. If they aren't at home, they must be hiding in the trees. Target every tree, every bush," someone ordered.
"They started to shoot with more intensity.
""This is our fate, but my poor boys . . ." cried my spouse.
"Suddenly the electricity was cut off. The terrorists who were in my room shouted: "Why have the lights gone out?" Then they left.
"We went to the house of our neighbor who himself was an employee of the National Security Service. Then they started to shoot at us. The bullets were flying above our heads. But God saved us. However our two children were still left behind in the second house.
"After few minutes, my wife couldn't take it. "I won’t leave my children, I will go back. They can't survive after this shooting . . . I would prefer to die," my wife said.
"I tried to calm her down. "Don’t be silly! God will save them, you will see. He will protect us.""
Yusuf Juma escaped with most of his family that night. On 19th December, he and his son Bobur were arrested at the hosue of Mukhiddin Akramkhodjaev. Since then, they have been held in detention and denied access to lawyers.
In May 2005, hundreds of unarmed demonstrators were shot and killed in Andijan, in Uzbekistan.
The courage of Yusuf Juma
Earlier this month, Yusuf Juma and his sons began a series of small demonstrations in Bukhara, by holding posters which called for the resignation of President Karimov. There was an election campaign at the time. They were severely beaten for this. In the evening, the Uzbek security forces stormed Yusuf Juma's house. They killed two of the family's dogs, They destroyed the poet's archive and library as well as other personal possessions. They arrested his daughter. Yusuf Juma escaped. He wrote an account of what happened on that evening. This is part of his account:
"At approximately 18.00 we heard people outside shouting ‘Babur! Babur! Run away!” I was reading at this time. I looked out from the window, but didn’t see anyone. I then went outside and saw a lot of people getting out of their cars. Having seen this entire army all the people in the village were shouting to us, “Run away! Run away!” Then the men started shooting.
"Bullets were coming like rain from all directions. They were shooting from our cow-shed. I ran away, barefoot. My wife and nine-year-old son Javhar ran out of the second house. Three of us hid behind a water tank. A group of armed men stormed into my room. I heard one of my sons asking to see whoever was in charge.
"Another two of my children were left surrounded in our second house. They were still shooting. We heard the sounds of dogs, cows, geese, and chicken being shot.
"One of the armed men spoke. "He must be a leader of the terrorists. Here are his notebooks, his books. He might be hiding behind the curtain. Open fire!" Another said, "Smash the head of this man who has lifted his head against our Leader!"
"They were shooting ceaselessly from four sides. "We are dead . . . " whispered my wife. "Forget about us, but what will happen with the kids? They’ll also be killed."
"My son Javhar was trying to hide my foot. "They can see it, they will shoot!" he whispered.
"They were shooting in all the rooms, shooting everywhere. They were shooting at locked doors. They were using automatic machine guns, pistols and firearms.
""Mother f***er, this guy's house is surrounded by trees. If they aren't at home, they must be hiding in the trees. Target every tree, every bush," someone ordered.
"They started to shoot with more intensity.
""This is our fate, but my poor boys . . ." cried my spouse.
"Suddenly the electricity was cut off. The terrorists who were in my room shouted: "Why have the lights gone out?" Then they left.
"We went to the house of our neighbor who himself was an employee of the National Security Service. Then they started to shoot at us. The bullets were flying above our heads. But God saved us. However our two children were still left behind in the second house.
"After few minutes, my wife couldn't take it. "I won’t leave my children, I will go back. They can't survive after this shooting . . . I would prefer to die," my wife said.
"I tried to calm her down. "Don’t be silly! God will save them, you will see. He will protect us.""
Yusuf Juma escaped with most of his family that night. On 19th December, he and his son Bobur were arrested at the hosue of Mukhiddin Akramkhodjaev. Since then, they have been held in detention and denied access to lawyers.
In May 2005, hundreds of unarmed demonstrators were shot and killed in Andijan, in Uzbekistan.
The poet Yusuf Juma wrote these lines about those who died:
The best men of the people were shot in Andijan.
Elders like Dukchi-ishan, were shot in Andijan.
People were shot in Namangana, shot in Fergana, the very best lions were shot in Andijan.
The blind are alive, the jackals are alive,
Sharifjan Shokurovs were shot in Andijan.
Future Babarakhin Mashrabs were killed,
tigers like Babur were shot in Andijan.
In their hearts they were wild activists, endurers of the right way,
let their graves be full of light, they were shot in Andijan.
They went off faithful to their faith, they went off with open eyes,
the earth was left without men, they were shot at Andijan.
Poet Yusuf Juma ill-treated in prison
(WiPC/IFEX) - WiPC is concerned by reports that the Uzbek poet, Yusuf Juma, who was arrested in December 2007 and sentenced to five years imprisonment, is suffering ill-treatment in prison. The WiPC is seeking assurances of Juma's well-being, clarification of the reasons for Juma's detention and assurances that he is not being held in denial of his right to freedom of expression.
In early November, Feruza Juma, Juma's daughter, visited her father in the maximum-security Jaslyk prison. She reports that Juma's health is deteriorating and that he is suffering beatings and ill-treatment by the prison wardens. She claims that she saw bruises on her father's body. She reports that her request to the prison head to allow Juma to meet with his lawyer was refused.
Juma's sentence reportedly states that he should serve his five-year term at Kungrad prison, in Karakalpakstan, however he was transferred to Jaslyk prison earlier this year for unknown reasons. Jaslyk Prison, which is based in a remote area of northwest Uzbekistan, is notorious for its harsh conditions. It is situated in a former Soviet military camp on land said to be heavily contaminated with chemical and biological waste. With no roads, the only access is via infrequent rail links, making visits by family and lawyers extremely arduous, and thus infrequent.
BACKGROUND:
In early December 2007, Juma (also known as Yusuf Dzhumaev/Jumaev), aged 50, held a series of demonstrations in the south western city of Bukhara with other members of his family, during which they displayed posters calling for the resignation of Uzbek President Karimov who was standing for re-election in presidential elections (1). The posters were also posted on the Jumas' car as it drove around the city.
On 10 December, Juma and his family were staging a demonstration at a bus stop when they were ordered to disperse by police. According to reports, Juma and others got into their car and drove off, injuring two policemen as they attempted to halt the vehicle. That evening the Juma home was said to have been raided by police who shot into the house at random. Juma and his family fled into hiding. Some family members are now reported to be in exile.
Juma was arrested around 22 December along with his son, Bobur Juma. He was subsequently sentenced on 15 April 2008 to five years in prison under the Uzbek Criminal Code's Article 104 (Intentional Infliction of Serious Bodily Injury) and Article 219 (Resistance to Authority or Person Fulfilling Civil Duty). His son was given a suspended sentence and freed. According to reports, Juma does not deny that the two police could have been injured as he drove away. However, early police statements that the injuries had been minor were later changed to more serious injuries, leading to questions about whether more has been made of the incident so as to be sure that the dissident poet would be convicted and imprisoned.
Juma had earlier come to the attention of International PEN when, in October 2000, he was arrested on criminal charges that Uzbek human rights groups considered to have been trumped up as a means of penalising him for his outspoken criticism, some of which was carried on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The trial ended in September 2001 - its outcome unclear. He was again arrested in October 2001 and held for two months on charges of "anti constitutional activity", said to be related to two articles in which he accused Bukhara officials of corruption. In response to appeals from International PEN in 2001, the Uzbek National Security Service (NSS) wrote that Juma had been calling for a "holy jihad" and referred to previous charges levied in 1994 and 2000 under which Juma had been accused of physical attacks against his neighbours. Supporters dispute this, claiming that local people had been coerced by police to make false allegations. Until the arrest in December 2007, PEN had not received reports of further attacks against Juma, although it is apparent that he continued his dissident activities.
(1) President Karimov was re-elected on 23 December 2007 although questions arise as to whether he is qualified to stand for a third term when the Uzbek constitution does not allow for a president to serve for more than two. First elected to a five year term in 1991, his tenure was extended in 1995 by a further five years. He was re-elected in 2000, and in 2002 another referendum, also widely criticised, extended his term to 2007. This process has been widely criticised within Uzbekistan and abroad as being neither free nor fair.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Send appeals to authorities:- expressing concern at reports that Juma has suffered ill-treatment in prison and is being denied medical attention- referring to further concerns that the evidence against Juma may have been manipulated as a means of ensuring his conviction and imprisonment in retaliation for his long standing criticism of the government - calling for Juma to be freed immediately and unconditionally if he is being held solely in denial of his rights to freedom of expression and association, as guaranteed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Uzbekistan is a signatory
APPEALS TO:
Islam A. Karimov
Poet Yusuf Juma ill-treated in prison
(WiPC/IFEX) - WiPC is concerned by reports that the Uzbek poet, Yusuf Juma, who was arrested in December 2007 and sentenced to five years imprisonment, is suffering ill-treatment in prison. The WiPC is seeking assurances of Juma's well-being, clarification of the reasons for Juma's detention and assurances that he is not being held in denial of his right to freedom of expression.
In early November, Feruza Juma, Juma's daughter, visited her father in the maximum-security Jaslyk prison. She reports that Juma's health is deteriorating and that he is suffering beatings and ill-treatment by the prison wardens. She claims that she saw bruises on her father's body. She reports that her request to the prison head to allow Juma to meet with his lawyer was refused.
Juma's sentence reportedly states that he should serve his five-year term at Kungrad prison, in Karakalpakstan, however he was transferred to Jaslyk prison earlier this year for unknown reasons. Jaslyk Prison, which is based in a remote area of northwest Uzbekistan, is notorious for its harsh conditions. It is situated in a former Soviet military camp on land said to be heavily contaminated with chemical and biological waste. With no roads, the only access is via infrequent rail links, making visits by family and lawyers extremely arduous, and thus infrequent.
BACKGROUND:
In early December 2007, Juma (also known as Yusuf Dzhumaev/Jumaev), aged 50, held a series of demonstrations in the south western city of Bukhara with other members of his family, during which they displayed posters calling for the resignation of Uzbek President Karimov who was standing for re-election in presidential elections (1). The posters were also posted on the Jumas' car as it drove around the city.
On 10 December, Juma and his family were staging a demonstration at a bus stop when they were ordered to disperse by police. According to reports, Juma and others got into their car and drove off, injuring two policemen as they attempted to halt the vehicle. That evening the Juma home was said to have been raided by police who shot into the house at random. Juma and his family fled into hiding. Some family members are now reported to be in exile.
Juma was arrested around 22 December along with his son, Bobur Juma. He was subsequently sentenced on 15 April 2008 to five years in prison under the Uzbek Criminal Code's Article 104 (Intentional Infliction of Serious Bodily Injury) and Article 219 (Resistance to Authority or Person Fulfilling Civil Duty). His son was given a suspended sentence and freed. According to reports, Juma does not deny that the two police could have been injured as he drove away. However, early police statements that the injuries had been minor were later changed to more serious injuries, leading to questions about whether more has been made of the incident so as to be sure that the dissident poet would be convicted and imprisoned.
Juma had earlier come to the attention of International PEN when, in October 2000, he was arrested on criminal charges that Uzbek human rights groups considered to have been trumped up as a means of penalising him for his outspoken criticism, some of which was carried on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The trial ended in September 2001 - its outcome unclear. He was again arrested in October 2001 and held for two months on charges of "anti constitutional activity", said to be related to two articles in which he accused Bukhara officials of corruption. In response to appeals from International PEN in 2001, the Uzbek National Security Service (NSS) wrote that Juma had been calling for a "holy jihad" and referred to previous charges levied in 1994 and 2000 under which Juma had been accused of physical attacks against his neighbours. Supporters dispute this, claiming that local people had been coerced by police to make false allegations. Until the arrest in December 2007, PEN had not received reports of further attacks against Juma, although it is apparent that he continued his dissident activities.
(1) President Karimov was re-elected on 23 December 2007 although questions arise as to whether he is qualified to stand for a third term when the Uzbek constitution does not allow for a president to serve for more than two. First elected to a five year term in 1991, his tenure was extended in 1995 by a further five years. He was re-elected in 2000, and in 2002 another referendum, also widely criticised, extended his term to 2007. This process has been widely criticised within Uzbekistan and abroad as being neither free nor fair.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Send appeals to authorities:- expressing concern at reports that Juma has suffered ill-treatment in prison and is being denied medical attention- referring to further concerns that the evidence against Juma may have been manipulated as a means of ensuring his conviction and imprisonment in retaliation for his long standing criticism of the government - calling for Juma to be freed immediately and unconditionally if he is being held solely in denial of his rights to freedom of expression and association, as guaranteed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Uzbekistan is a signatory
APPEALS TO:
Islam A. Karimov
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Rezidentysia prezidenta
Ul. Uzbekistaniskaia 43
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Fax: +998 71 139 5325
Rashidzhon Kodirov
General Prosecutor
Prokuratura Respubliki Uzbekistan
Ul. Gulyamova 66, 700047
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Fax: 998 71 133 39 17 / 133 73 68
E-mail: prokuratura@lawyer.com
Akmal Saidov
Head of the National Centre for Human Rights
Natsionalny tsentr po pravam cheloveka
5/3 Mustakillik Maidoni
Tashkent 700029Uzbekistan
Fax: +998 71 139 13 56
Please also send copies to the representative of Uzbekistan in your country.
If sending appeals after 21 December 2008, please contact WiPC for any updates.
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
MORE INFORMATION:
For further information, contact the WiPC, International PEN, Brownlow House, 50/51 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6ER, U.K., tel: +44 207 405 0338, fax: +44 207 405 0339, e-mail: wipc@internationalpen.org.uk, Internet: http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/
http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/go/news/uzbekistan-poet-yusuf-juma-detained
http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/11/uzbekistan-yusuf-juma-a-martyr-poet/
http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/1381
http://freecommonwealth.blogspot.com/2007/12/courage-of-yusuf-juma.html
http://uk.blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-Tpv8PQc6erJG2MG9Z6bDMj1oGgx.?p=814
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=12027
Please also send copies to the representative of Uzbekistan in your country.
If sending appeals after 21 December 2008, please contact WiPC for any updates.
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
MORE INFORMATION:
For further information, contact the WiPC, International PEN, Brownlow House, 50/51 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6ER, U.K., tel: +44 207 405 0338, fax: +44 207 405 0339, e-mail: wipc@internationalpen.org.uk, Internet: http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/
http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/go/news/uzbekistan-poet-yusuf-juma-detained
http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/11/uzbekistan-yusuf-juma-a-martyr-poet/
http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/1381
http://freecommonwealth.blogspot.com/2007/12/courage-of-yusuf-juma.html
http://uk.blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-Tpv8PQc6erJG2MG9Z6bDMj1oGgx.?p=814
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=12027
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