Date: Mon, 09 Sep 2002 11:20:46 -0100
From: "eu2002.dk" 

Policy area: General Affairs and External Relations
News item: Other documents

PERMANENT COUNCIL No. 408, 5 September 2002
EU Statement on the Deaths of Prisoners
M. Avazov and K. Alimov in Uzbekistan

It is with great concern that the European Union has learned of the
deaths of Mr. Muzaffar Avazov and Mr. Khuzniddin Alimov, both
prisoners in the Jazlyk penitentiary in Uzbekistan. The
circumstances of their violent deaths are unclear as allegations
have been made by human rights organisations that both Mr.
Avazov and Mr. Alimov may have died as a consequence of
torture. 

With reference to the UN Convention against Torture, which
Uzbekistan has also ratified, it is the EU`s objective to ensure that
the prohibition against torture and ill-treatment is enforced. The
European Union notes the information provided on the two cases
by the Uzbek delegation in Vienna. The European Union is of the
opinion that an independent and thorough investigation into the
matter would be helpful to clarify the exact circumstances.
Moreover, there should be no restrictions on the families of the two
deceased prisoners communicating with human rights organisations
and representatives of international organisations, if they so wish. 

In this context, the European Union is concerned in general about
the fact that the universal conditions which the International
Committee of the Red Cross has established for prison visits are no
longer being met by the Uzbek authorities, so that the ICRC has
stopped its prison visits there. The European Union calls on the
Uzbek Government to ensure that these conditions are reinstated.
Allowing independent organizations to visit Uzbek prisons would
provide objective information about prison conditions in Uzbekistan
to the OSCE and the UN. 

The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the
European Union and the associated countries Cyprus, Malta and
Turkey align themselves with this statement.