Tajikistan: Buzurgmehr Yorov is in punitive confinement. His life is under threat.

According to the information received from the relatives of Buzurgmehr Yorov, pressure to the lawyer has been strengthened for the recent days. 4 October 2017 relatives of Buzurgmehr Yorov intended to pass a food for him in the detention centre #1 in Dushanbe, however they were told that since 29 September 2017 Buzurgmehr is being detained in punitive confinement and it is not allowed any food brought from outside for him. Law enforcement authorities did not specify for what reason and for what kind of breaches he was putted into the punitive confinement. The authorities of Tajikistan continue to worsen conditions for the lawyer Buzurgmehr Yorov. His life is staying under threat. The conditions in the punitive confinement leave much to be desired.

Relatives of Buzurgmehr are also under constant pressure through threatening and intimidation. They are forbidden to tell anybody anything on situation of Buzurgmehr.

To recap, on 27 September 2017 mother of Buzurgmehr met with him in the detention centre #1 in Dushanbe [for details please refer here]. That time he informed her that all the time while he is in the detention centre, he is being subjected to cruel beatings and several times he was putted into punitive confinement that led to deterioration of his health condition. For the last month frequency and cruelty of beatings reached its maximum. Buzurgmehr was on treatment in the medical division under the detention centre, however after returning back to the detention centre officers of the detention centre continued their cruel actions. Information on this matter was actively spread among civil society by human rights defenders and mass-media.

In response to this, just after spreading the information on his condition, Buzurgmehr was putted into punitive confinement on unclear reasons. Such actions from Tajikistan authorities’ side can be classified as message that talking about violations, tortures and cruelty towards imprisoned persons in Tajikistan is dangerous. The attention of international community to the lawyer’s case leads to more cruel reaction from the authorities’ side.

To recap, Buzurgmehr Yorov is sentenced to 28 years of strict regime for his professional activity for politically motivated cases.

Source: Human Rights Vision Foundation