Thousands of prisoners to be released under amnesty

Uzbekistan’s president, Islam Karimov, signed a decree on Thursday pardoning more than 5,000 prisoners, just a few days ahead of the 12th anniversary of Uzbek Constitution Day on 8 December. But rights groups say it does little for the many political and religious prisoners who have been jailed in recent years. Under the amnesty, 5,040 prisoners will be released and 8,000-9,000 prisoners will have their sentences reduced, Karimov said, addressing the Uzbek parliament during its final session ahead of the 26 December parliamentary elections. The degree, published in official newspapers, said the amnesty would not include “persons convicted for the participation in extremist organisations, known to have committed crimes against constitutional order of Uzbekistan, or other acts against public safety”. But it will cover "religious convicts who have set out firmly on a path of correction", the degree said. Human rights groups said that the terms of the amnesty would put political and religious prisoners in an impossible position where they would have to choose between the chance of being freed or remaining true to their own believes. “Everybody has the right to freedom of conscience and freedom of religion. That freedom should be protected and no one should be forced to give up their beliefs,” Alison Gill, Human Rights Watch (HRW) representative in Uzbekistan told IRIN. “We received a lot of complaints from religious prisoners; they are forced to sign statements to renounce their beliefs or beg forgiveness.” Uzbekistan has a prison population of 45,600, including more than 6,000 religious convicts, according to HRW. Last year’s amnesty freed more than 3.000 prisoners, including nearly 400 convicts jailed for religious extremist activity. Uzbek authorities claim that they have humanised the country’s criminal code recently, giving as an example economic crimes under which defendants would not be jailed if they compensate the victim. Last year the country reduced the number of crimes that would carry the death penalty, retaining only two out of four, terrorism and premeditated murder. However, despite international criticism Uzbekistan passes 50 to 60 death sentences annually, while the number of executions is unknown. Observes say those changes will not ease the life of people who have dared to challenge government policy. “Religious prisoners suffer mistreatment or lose the opportunity to be freed under the amnesty,” Gill said. In 2002, a United Nations rapporteur concluded that the use of torture by Uzbekistan's security forces was systematic. Uzbekistan has become a key US military ally since the 11 September 2001 attacks on the United States and has provided an airbase for US forces near the Afghan border.