were arrested, including his brother, Saidabror Askarov and the Davlatov brothers, as well as Karimov. 2.16 The author affirms that his brother was not informed of his right to be represented by a lawyer from the moment of arrest, nor of the right to have a lawyer designated free of charge in case of lack of financial means. On 23 June 2001, the investigators appointed a lawyer (Aliev) for him. After one month, the family privately retained a lawyer, Fayzullaev, because all attempts to meet with the investigation-appointed lawyer failed. The new lawyer was allegedly forced to withdraw by the investigators, because he complained to the Prosecutor General about the illegality of Askarov’s charges. After that, they privately hired a third lawyer. 2.12 The author claims that after Askarov’s arrest (exact date not provided), the latter was held in a building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for a week. The author affirms that the Ministry’s premises are inadequate for a long detention. On 4 May 2001, his brother was transferred to a Temporary Detention Centre where, instead of the statutorily authori7ed period, he was kept until 24 May 2001, and then he was transferred to the Investigation Detention Centre No 1. During the initial month of detention, Askarov was interrogated at the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ building all day long and often interrogatories continued into the night. An official record of his arrest was allegedly produced only on 4 May 2001 and he was placed in custody by a decision the same day. Abdulmadzhid and Nazar Davlatovs were sent to the Temporary Detention Centre on 5 May, and transferred to the Investigation Centre No.1 on 24 May 2001. 2.17 In court, Askarov and the Davlatov brothers retracted their confessions. They claimed innocence and affirmed that they were in Panch region from 9 to 14 April 2001. This was confirmed by five witnesses. The court concluded that the court depositions, including the allegations of torture, were made in order to escape criminal liability. 2.18 The author presents similar claims to those made on behalf of Karimov (para. 2.9, letters (e) to (h) above). 2.13 The author claims that during the first three days of detention, Askarov and the Davlatov brothers were not given any food but received only limited quantities of water. The food provided to the detainees was insufficient and the parcels the family sent to the authorities did not reach the detainees. 2.19 The judgement against Askarov and the Davlatov brothers was confirmed, on 29 April 2002, by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Chamber. The complaint 2.14 According to the author, his brother Askarov was subjected to beatings and torture to force him to confess guilt. He allegedly received electric shocks with a special device, and electric cables were introduced into his mouth and anus or were attached to his teeth or genitals. One of his fingers was broken. 5 In addition, he was placed under psychological pressure, because his brothers Amon (the author of the present communication) was also arrested together with their other brother, Khabib, on 27 April, and detained until 29 May 2001, and their fourth brother, Sulaymon, was also arrested on 27 April and released two months later. Askarov was constantly reminded of his brothers’ arrests. Because of this treatment, Askarov and Davlatovs signed confessions. Karimov’s case 3.1 The author claims that in violation of articles 7 and 14, paragraph 3 (g), his son was beaten, tortured, and put under psychological pressure and thus forced to confess guilt. 3.2 His son’s rights under article 9, paragraphs 1 and 2, were violated, because he was arrested unlawfully and was not charged for a long period of time after arrest. 3.3 He claims that in violation of article 10, the conditions of detention during the early stages of his son’s arrest were inadequate. The food received was insufficient and the parcels sent by the family were not transmitted to him. 2.15 Allegedly, Askarov was only allowed to meet with relatives for ten minutes six months after arrest (exact date not provided), in investigators’ presence. Nazar Davlatov met his relatives only at the beginning of the trial, whereas Abdumadzhid Davlatov saw his mother only six months after his arrest. 3.4 The author further claims that his son’s rights under article 14, paragraph 1, were violated because the court was partial. His son’s presumption of innocence was violated, contrary to article 14, paragraph 2, because of the statement of the high ranked policeman in court that the accused were “dangerous criminals”. He adds that article 14, paragraph 3 (e), was violated as the testimonies of the witnesses on his son’s behalf were rejected under the simple pretext that they were false. 5 The author claims that one of the persons that tortured his brother was Rasulov, deputy chief of Dushanbe’s Criminal Search Department. Every day he visited the Temporary Detention Centre to check whether there “[was] good news for him”. Receiving a negative reply, he beat Askarov. 3.5 Finally, it is claimed that Karimov’s rights under article 6, paragraphs 1 and 2, were violated, as 94