Some compromising video was electronically distributed against human rights activist Elena Urlaeva, and other activists in the country are also under pressure. Is the Birdamlik Congress in Chimkent the reason of this?
Елена Urlaeva with children in cotton field of Uzbekistan: Photo from HRAU
Recently, many journalists, representatives of international organisations and diplomatic offices, who are related with Uzbekistan, received two links on electronic mail to some video, where well-known human rights activist Elena Urlaeva was depicted in painful and inadequate condition.
This mailing was continuation of a number of events around Urlaeva, obviously, intended to undermine the work and plans of the activist.
Only recently C-1 wrote that on 12 of November Elena Urlaeva was called to the Bureau of Forced Execution at the Prosecutor General’s office, where they informed her that she had stolen 2070 US dollar from the Central Bank of the country.
Notification scan
(No 31089-90 ; 17
NOTIFICATION
Urlaeva Elena Mikhailovna
debt, state fees
Bureau of forced execution at the General Prosecutor’s office of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mirzo-Ulugbek district depart of Tashkent city requires your reporting with your passport to reception to the state executor by 10:00 hrs on 12.11.2018.
In case of failure to come without serous excuses, you will be fined for 1 722 00 Soums in accordance with article 198 of Administrative Responsibility Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan and will be taken to the department forcefully through police organs.
Address: district Buz-2, House 7”a”, orienting point Lyceum of TATU, office 203
State executor (signed) A.J. Mansurhukaev)
While doing this, they refused to tell her the details of the case. Urlaeva cannot understand the grounds for the accusation to appear. During previous weekend, she found some pornographic content materials on her telephone, which she found extremely offensive. According to her, she had left the telephone with the officers of the department of internal affairs of Mirzo-Ulugbek district of Tashkent. All these events jeopardized Urlaeva’s participation at the Congress of the Birdamlik People’s Movement of Uzbekistan to be held on 15-16 November in Chimkent, southern town in Kazakhstan. She was going to leave for Chimkent on that day.
Leader of Birdamlik Movement Bakhodir Khan Turkiston
The leader of Birdamlik Movement Bakhodir Khan Turkiston (formerly Bokhodir Choriyev – Note by C-1) has been living in emigration in the USA for the past 14 years and has become a citizen of this country.
Last September he could not get an entry visa to Uzbekistan at the embassy of Uzbekistan in Washington and now has to gather his associated in the neighbouring country.
With regard to the compromising video against Elena Urlaeva, who is another victim of forced psychiatry of Uzbekistan, it is known, that it had been taken in spring 2017 by a candid camera after the doctors in Angren town (Tashkent region) had injected some medication to her body without her consent.
After recovering, the human rights activist gave an extended interview to C-1 and, publicly asked for excuse for her behaviour and said: “I am ashamed: I behaved like a drunken hooligan”.
Later on, she underwent rehabilitation in Tbilisi, and the Georgian doctor wrote an opinion that she is psychiatrically sound.
Why had they been silent for 18 months and not published these video shots earlier! – say Elena now in indignation. – This is called meanness.” She guesses that the case with the video comes from the area police officer lieutenant Husnutdin Murodullaev – a very young man, who asked Elena last summer to lend him 300 US dollars for treatment of his wife for none of his close relatives have him any money. Elena Urlaeva was the only person, who gave him this amount of money from her international award. This was how the lieutenant expressed his “gratitude” for her kindness.
Elena Urlaeva and Malohat Eshanqulova; phot by HRAU
I fear to watch any video on YouTube, I am prepared to ask for pardon from everybody,” admits Elena.
“Publications on YouTube is the worst meanness, – thinks the independent journalist Malohat Eshanqulova. – I remember Elena Mihailovna’s state after those doctors injected something in her body in Angren, definitely they had injected some highly effecting psychotropic medications.”
According to Malohat, even during Islam Karimov time human rights activists were not so meanly humiliated.
In addition, Urlaeva was going to fly to Stockholm (Sweden) the following week, but now, it is hard to say whether she can do it or not: at the Bureau of Forced Execution they told her that they would not let her leave the country until she returns all the money to the NAitonal Bank.
Today some other activists are also facing pressure. For instance, the authorities illegally confiscated Eshaqulova’s passport, so therefore, she cannot fly out to Bishkek for a seminar.
It is said that eight Birdamlik activists from Fergana valley intending to visit Kazakhstan to attend the Congress of the People’s Movement, were blocked in their houses.