Activist Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov's Arrest Violates International Law, UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Opinion Says

Following the newly released Opinion 62/2024 of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UN WGAD), Uzbek authorities must urgently and unconditionally release Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov, a prominent lawyer and human rights activist from Karakalpakstan, and drop all charges associated with his arrest.

The Working Group’s Opinion, released on March 10, 2025, condemns the arbitrary detention and arrest of Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov and highlights gross violations of international law and Uzbekistan’s constitution.

On June 26, 2022, Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov was arrested in Nukus, the capital of the Sovereign Republic of Karakalpakstan, after filing a petition with the government to hold a peaceful protest. His protest was in response to proposed constitutional amendments that would have stripped Karakalpakstan of its sovereignty — a move seen by many as a direct threat to the region’s sovereignty and identity.

Tazhimuratov’s arrest ignited widespread outrage across Karakalpakstan. People from all corners of the republic converged on Nukus in a show of solidarity. The protesters were peaceful and unarmed — they carried no sticks, no stones. Despite this, law enforcement responded with extreme brutality. Security forces launched stun grenades, deployed tear gas, and used lethal, military-grade ammunition against the civilians.

The crackdown marked a turning point. Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov, once a vocal advocate for Karakalpak rights, became a symbol of resistance — a martyr to many. The violence not only escalated tensions but also highlighted the deepening discrimination and repression faced by the Karakalpak people.

The report states Uzbekistan violated international agreements, including the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, of which Uzbekistan is a party. The country has even failed to uphold tenets of Uzbekistan’s own Constitution. The WGAD report asserts that Tazhimuratov is subjected to torture, ill-treatment, and arbitrary arrest, solely due to his political beliefs and Karakalpak identity.

Uzbek courts sentenced Tazhimuratov to 16 years in prison on suspicious charges, including “rioting,” “threats to public security and order,” and “extremism.” The Working Group determined that the charges are suspicious because Uzbekistan uses the laws to suppress free speech and dissenting viewpoints. The method of evidence collection was dubious. Warrantless masked assailants broke into Tazhimuratov’s house, and seized and tampered with his property. His trial was closed. The judge who handled Dauletmurat’s case was previously accused of corruption by Dauletmurat himself. This is a clear conflict of interest. Dauletmurat was shackled and placed in a glass cell to make him appear guilty. The WGAD concluded that due to the “vague and overly broad provisions,” Uzbekistan violated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The Working Group received credible evidence that Tazhimuratov is constantly enduring systematic harassment and torture in prison. At his trial, Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov stood before the court not just as a defendant, but as a witness to state-sanctioned brutality. With unwavering resolve, he described how law enforcement officers jumped on his head and twisted his fingers, placing metal between them to amplify the pain. His words cut through the courtroom like a blade — a harrowing testimony of torture that laid bare the inhumanity inflicted upon those who dared to speak for justice and sovereignty. During his four months in pretrial detention, prison staff instructed other detainees on how to harass Tazhimuratov physically. While serving his time, guards tortured him using stun guns, batons, and tear gas. The Opinion states he is deprived of necessities, including food, water, adequate medical treatment, and timekeeping, and is forced to pledge allegiance to Uzbekistan’s national symbols under duress. The Working Group concluded that Tazhimuratov’s conditions violate basic tenets of the Nelson Mandela Rules.

Tazhimuratov’s lawyer, Sergey Mayorov, stated in a video relaying some of atrocities, “A special group of so-called “activists” is used—ostensibly for managing inmate order—but because my client refuses to obey the unlawful demands of the colony’s administration, these activists (whose identities are known) are used to regularly assault Dauletmurat. The beatings are carried out in a way that leaves no visible marks on his body.”

The UN WGAD’s Opinion found overwelming evidence that “the deprivation of liberty of Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov, being in contravention of articles 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 19 and 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and articles 2 (1), 9, 14, 19, 25 and 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, is arbitrary.”

The WGAD is calling for the Uzbek government to be held accountable, through independent inquiries and by remedying Tazhimuratov’s pressing situation, for Uzbekistan to conform to international norms, and to release Tazhimuratov from prison immediately. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UN WGAD) has repeatedly raised serious concerns about politically motivated imprisonment in Uzbekistan. While the government has faced international pressure in cases like those of Kadyr Yusupov and Otabek Sattoriy, it has failed to fully comply with UN rulings.

These cases reveal a consistent and troubling pattern of repression, underscored by the UN’s latest opinion declaring Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov’s detention arbitrary and unlawful. Tazhimuratov is imprisoned solely for his political beliefs and Karakalpak identity. Uzbekistan must break this pattern—honor its international obligations, and release Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov immediately.