Summary: July 7, 2005: Commission expresses concern about case of Uzbek human rights activist (Brussels)
The European Commission has been informed about the detention in Kazakhstan of Mr Luftullo Shmasudinov, an Uzbek refugee and prominent human rights activist. Mr Shamsudinov fled Uzbekistan following the massacre in Andijan and widely informed the media about the dramatic events he witnessed in May. He and his family have been granted refugee status by the UNHCR. The Uzbek authorities have accused him of terrorism and have demanded Kazakhstan's authorities hand him over.
European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, gave this reaction: "I wish to express my deep concern about this development. If deported to Uzbekistan, Mr Shamsudinov could face imprisonment, torture and death. His deportation would set a negative precedent for the Kyrgyz Republic where, further to harsh pressure from Uzbek authorities, at least 29 Uzbek asylum seekers face deportation. I call upon the government of Kazakhstan to
provide information on the arrest of Mr Shamsudinov and remind the government of its international commitments under the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol relating to the status of Refugees to which Kazakhstan is a party. I hope Kazakhstan will honour its commitments under these UN Conventions and the standards of the OSCE which it wishes to preside over in 2009."'
| Top |
European Union Member States
Alerts by email
Email this page
Print this page