Tazhimuratov is a Karakalpak lawyer, journalist, and human rights defender who has been detained in Uzbekistan since July 2022, when the Uzbek government cracked down on protesters who opposed constitutional amendments that would have stripped Karakalpakstan of its status as a sovereign republic.
Writing from detention, Tazhimuratov describes brutal beatings he has received at the hands of prison officials, who force him to recite the Uzbek national anthem or deny his Karakalpak identity by declaring that he is Uzbek. He is also denied access to bathing facilities, medical care, writing materials, and religious items.
HRF calls on Uzbekistan to treat Dauletmurat Tazhimuratov with dignity and recognize his fundamental rights by providing him with access to basic necessities and investigating all incidents of violence against him. Most of all, the Uzbek government must enforce the opinion of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and release him from prison immediately.
