Behind bars, beyond justice: The ongoing crisis in Uzbek penal institutions

According to the human rights activist, the deceased's mother appealed to society. The young man had been sentenced to three years in prison in the winter of 2024. According to his mother, he was supposed to be released from the penal colony in August of this year. The mother last saw her son during a long-term visit on January 26-28 of this year. The Ombudsman’s office is investigating the situation.

“On February 14 of this year, at 22:45, a convict serving a sentence sought medical attention from the colony doctors due to a change in his health. Despite first aid, his condition did not improve, and he was admitted to the Almalyk City Central Hospital. Unfortunately, despite medical treatment, the convict died in the hospital at 01:00 on February 15 due to hypertension and primary heart failure. A forensic medical examination was ordered for the deceased,” the Ombudsman’s report states.

The deceased’s mother stated that her son had been in good health in January and had no known heart issues, as he regularly played sports. She expressed dissatisfaction with the penal colony's handling of her son’s hospitalization and subsequent death, claiming that the family was not informed promptly and that the body showed signs of torture and electric shock marks.

“The only thing that has raised our suspicions so far is that the colony administration did not inform his relatives that the convict was hospitalized in serious condition,” Abdurakhmon Tashanov wrote.

The Ombudsman’s office and the Fergana regional representative are currently investigating the case and have expressed condolences to the deceased’s family. An appeal was also sent to the Prosecutor General’s Office. According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, employees of the Almalyk city prosecutor’s office examined the scene and the body, received statements from relevant officials and doctors, and ordered a forensic medical examination. Preliminary forensic data indicated that the cause of death was acute ischemic heart disease, myocardial hemorrhage, or myocardial infarction.

“The pre-investigation investigation is currently being conducted by the Tashkent Special Prosecutor’s Office,” stated the Prosecutor General’s Office.

Despite the incident occurring within a penal colony under the Criminal Investigation Department, neither the Ministry of Internal Affairs nor the Criminal Investigation Department has responded.

Amid the disclosure of a body being removed from the penal colony, the Prosecutor General’s Office revealed another case. On February 11, 2025, convict Mustafa Tursunbaev, serving his sentence in penal colony No. 7 in Tovaksoy, was killed when a section of the wall he was demolishing collapsed and crushed him.

“Convict M. Tursunbaev was immediately hospitalized. Despite medical treatment, he died in the hospital on February 16. A criminal case has been initiated under Article 257 of the Criminal Code (Violation of Labor Protection Rules). The Tashkent Special Prosecutor's Office is conducting the investigation,” the Prosecutor General's Office said.

The Ombudsman has also taken this case under control. On February 11, around 16:10, convict M.T. was involved in renovation work in the old canteen building on the colony grounds. During the demolition, part of the wall fell on the convict due to carelessness, causing severe injuries.

“The colony doctors immediately provided first aid and transferred him to the Compound Injuries and Acute Vascular Diseases Center of the Bostanlyk District Medical Association. The convict was diagnosed with multiple trauma, closed head injury, closed chest injury, traumatic shock stage III, hemorrhagic shock stage III, and acute cardiovascular and respiratory failure.

Despite surgical intervention, the convict died at 5:00 p.m. on February 16. The Ombudsman’s Office and the regional representative in the Tashkent region investigated the case on-site,” the Ombudsman said.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths of both convicts differ. However, both deaths occurred shortly after release from the penal colony. The first incident became public three days later, and the second two days later. No response has been issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the Department of Internal Affairs. Two deaths in a penal colony within one week is an alarming statistic. It's unclear if there are other hidden cases. The Ombudsman released both statements on February 18, hours apart. The information provided by the Prosecutor General’s Office was slightly supplemented. The Ombudsman noted the deceased convict’s father was with him in the hospital for five days. In contrast, the mother of the convict who died of primary heart failure was informed only after the autopsy.

Article 13 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Uzbekistan outlines the main obligations of convicts. “Failure of convicts to fulfill their obligations shall entail liability established by law,” it states. If a 21-year-old convict died of illness, who is responsible for the convict who died during construction work on colony grounds due to serious injuries? Ensuring convicts do not violate colony rules, fulfill all requirements, and remain safe is crucial.

Penal institutions are closed organizations. Besides people, even our prisons can enter and exit. In November 2022, Uzbekistan had 54 penal colonies: 18 closed, 25 residential, and 11 pre-trial detention centers. Over 26,000 convicts were held in Uzbek prisons. As of 2024, there were 68 convicts per 100,000 population.

Unfortunately, convict deaths in penal colonies are not new. On May 23, 2024, a 24-year-old convict committed suicide in prison No. 6 in the Pop district of Namangan region. The Ombudsman responded at that time, ensuring the situation was under control.

The public often discusses the reasons for a convict's suicide, ignored conditions, and the environment in colonies facilitating such acts.

In Uzbekistan, incidents of torture and death are common not just in penal colonies but also in internal affairs bodies, pre-trial detention centers, and internal affairs departments. An example is a citizen's death in the Buka district of Tashkent on June 3, 2023, due to illegal interrogation and injury by police officers.

On October 30, 2022, a special film titled “Inside Affairs” was published on QALAMPIR.UZ, detailing Ayatullo Rahmatulla ugli Makhsumov’s death in penal colony No. 4 of the fifth regional district of Navoi city.

You can watch the special film on the QALAMPIR.UZ YouTube page.