New Evidence of Andijan Torture, Killings
New Evidence of Andijan Torture, Killings
Six years after Uzbek security forces shot hundreds of protestors in the city of Andijan, the Association for Human Rights in Central Asia has published a new report detailing how those arrested afterwards were subjected to torture and sexual assault.
The report (in Russian here) also describes how medical staff colluded in covering up the large numbers of people killed by the military’s bullets.
In an interview for NBCentralAsia, the association’s head Nadezhda Ataeva said the Uzbek authorities had so far enjoyed impunity, but warned that there was no statute of limitations on pursuing the perpetrators of those behind the violence in Andijan on May 13, 2005.
The report is based on eyewitness evidence of extrajudicial killings and assaults, letters from those detained afterwards, and testimony from someone who worked at the city morgue and examined more than 500 bodies bearing marks of injury, and in some cases starvation and sexual assault.
NBCentralAsia: How did you manage to gather this shocking evidence of torture and extrajudicial execution?
Ataeva: We used a number of methods…. A man whom I met while travelling expressed anger every time something about the Andijan violence appeared on the internet, saying people had no idea what terrible things had happened after the shootings.... But after hearing of the death of a detainee, he admitted he had worked at the Andijan morgue. Once he started talking, it was clear he was still haunted by his memories and unspoken fears.
The letters from prisoners offer equally important evidence of the use of torture. How they reach us is a long story in itself. For example, one letter from Andijan prison was brought to us in sections over almost two years. Another letter, about how a prisoner was beaten on an injured leg and the warders stuffed stones in his mouth to stifle his screams, was held by an elderly woman for several months before she could be got out of the country.
I am shocked that the authorities of Uzbekistan place no value on human life. I am deeply touched by how prisoners with no right place their lives at risk to break down the wall of silence because they believe in justice and hope we won’t stand aside.
NBCentralAsia: The Andijan morgue employer cited in the report describes how bullet entry points were cut out and evidence of torture concealed during autopsies, and how a living person was opened up. Will your association continue seeking out evidence of this kind?
Ataeva: The practices described by this witness explain why the authorities of Uzbekistan have been so hostile to calls for an independent international investigation of the Andijan violence; it demonstrates the wide-ranging powers of the National Security Agency [SNB], and it explains why it’s been impossible to compile a comprehensive list of casualties in the last six years now. It also explains why many of the victims have come to believe that staying silent, denouncing others and collaborating with the SNB might help them survive a bit longer….
We are planning a series of reports, but I don’t want to disclose the issues we’re working on, so as to avoid additional trouble in cross-checking facts.
NBCentralAsia: How can you ensure the safety of witnesses when you gather such information?
Ataeva: It is dangerous for citizens of Uzbekistan to give testimony on human rights violations. They are even at risk outside the country. For this reason, we dont always disclose the names of witnesses, and we try to confirm the information they give in other, independent sources.
NBCentralAsia: It’s now six years on from Andijan, yet human rights defenders and other activists continue to call for a fair investigation of the bloodshed. What do you believe can be achieved?
Ataeva: The refusal to investigate the Andijan tragedy promoted a sense of impunity among those responsible. So it isn’t the time for human rights defenders to let go of the issue.
In May 2005, Uzbek government forces shot dead more than 800 people, not 187 as Tashkent claims. Yet those responsible are confident they won’t be punished. You can see what this has led to – the number of extrajudicial killings, assaults, and ‘disappearances’ is rising, there are more political prisoners than before, and it’s now the norm to fabricate criminal charges.
Uzbekistan nationals are applying for political asylum in states that are signatories to international human rights conventions, yet the authorities in those countries often extradite them to Uzbekistan either after perfunctory consideration of their case or worse, because they give credence to claims made by Tashkent.
We have to keep on informing the public. Action by civil society groups will have a positive impact.
NBCentralAsia: What practical value does your report have for the victims of torture and illegal persecution?
Ataeva: The report collates evidence… that has been gathered from separate, independent sources. The victims are in the main people persecuted for political reasons, yet little is known about this in the West. The report’s authors have made it their aim to raising awareness among the general public and among human rights groups. The voices of victims of human rights abuses must be heard across the world. Only then will the perpetrators realise that punishment is inevitable.
Interview conducted by Inga Sikorskaya, IWPR senior editor for Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
This article was produced as part of IWPR's News Briefing Central Asia output, funded by the National Endowment for Democracy.
