Via Serica Calls for Immediate International Action to Save the Life of Karakalpak Political Prisoner Dauletmurat Tajimuratov

Washington DC, January 2026

Via Serica expresses grave alarm over escalating and credible reports of torture, ill-treatment, and retaliation against Dauletmurat Tajimuratov, a Karakalpak political prisoner, human rights defender, and national hero, currently held in Penal Colony No. 11 (KIN-11) in Navoi region, Uzbekistan.

These concerns are reinforced by a public statement issued by Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, who reiterated that the Government of Uzbekistan must guarantee Mr. Tajimuratov’s safety and immediately release him. In November 2024, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found Mr. Tajimuratov’s detention to be arbitrary. More than a year later, he remains imprisoned and is now facing new allegations of severe abuse.

On 22 January 2026, Mr. Tajimuratov’s lawyer, prominent Tashkent-based attorney Sergey Mayorov, released a detailed video statement following a prison visit on 17 January 2026. According to the lawyer, Mr. Tajimuratov continues to be subjected to systematic physical and psychological violence by prison authorities.

The reported abuses include beatings, prolonged stress positions, exposure to extreme cold, denial of rest and reading time, punitive isolation, and deliberate humiliation. Particularly alarming are the events of 20 November 2025, when, during a formal assembly at the colony, the first deputy head reportedly publicly insulted Mr. Tajimuratov, referring to him as an “enemy of the people” before hundreds of prisoners and staff. In protest, Mr. Tajimuratov reportedly threw his boots at the official. He was immediately restrained, forced to walk barefoot across a cold concrete yard, beaten along the way, and later subjected to further ill-treatment at the colony headquarters, including having multiple buckets of cold water mixed with lime poured over him.

On 21 November, he was placed in a cold punishment cell for 15 days, during which he reportedly lost consciousness following additional violence and was denied adequate food for several days. His lawyer confirmed visible bodily injuries and described conditions deliberately designed to cause illness and deterioration of health.

In addition, prison authorities have reportedly:

Denied Mr. Tajimuratov legally scheduled family visits as retaliation;

Prohibited other prisoners from communicating with him, punishing those who do;

Intercepted or failed to deliver the majority of letters sent by his relatives;

Blocked or withheld his complaints addressed to state authorities, including the Ombudsman;

Forced him to work in hazardous conditions in a lime-crushing workshop without proper protective equipment or safety standards;

Denied him rest, including on Sundays, contrary to prison regulations.

Via Serica further emphasizes the severe physical and financial toll imposed on Mr. Tajimuratov’s family. In January 2026, his relatives traveled approximately 465 kilometers from Nukus to Navoi, a journey of nearly 12 hours, only to be denied a legally scheduled family visit upon arrival. Such practices amount to collective punishment and constitute an additional form of psychological pressure on both the detainee and his family.

The urgency of this case is heightened by a disturbing pattern. Over the past two years, at least two Karakalpak individuals who were arbitrarily detained, Polat Shamshetov and Mustafa Tursynbayev, died in custody. These deaths underscore the real and immediate danger faced by Karakalpak political prisoners and make the continued abuse and isolation of Dauletmurat Tajimuratov particularly alarming.

Dauletmurat Tajimuratov has long advocated for the rights of the Karakalpak people. He was detained following the July 2022 protests opposing proposed constitutional amendments that would have stripped the Sovereignty of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, including its constitutional status, parliament, and the right of self-determination guaranteed under its own Constitution. His case has become emblematic of the broader repression faced by Karakalpak civic leaders and activists.

“These allegations must be promptly, thoroughly, and impartially investigated,” said UN Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor. “If confirmed, they may amount to violations of the absolute prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.”

Via Serica fully concurs with the Special Rapporteur’s assessment and reiterates the call for Mr. Tajimuratov’s immediate release. Until that occurs, his life, physical integrity, access to family, legal counsel, correspondence, and medical care must be guaranteed without delay.

Via Serica also supports the Special Rapporteur’s call for an urgent visit by UN staff and independent international monitors to Penal Colony No. 11. In light of the serious discrepancies between official statements and consistent incoming reports, Via Serica stands ready to participate in or support an independent international investigation or monitoring mechanism examining Mr. Tajimuratov’s treatment and conditions of detention.

Immediate action is required to preserve Dauletmurat Tajimuratov’s life. Continued inaction risks irreversible harm and further loss of life.

About Via Serica:

Via Serica is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of minority rights, with a particular focus on the Sovereign Republic of Karakalpakstan and Central Asia. The organization works through documentation, advocacy, and engagement with international human rights mechanisms.