Death_Penalty_2005_nowy.qxd 2005-09-08 17:00 Page 42 THE DEATH PENALTY IN THE OSCE AREA punishment; instead, punishment in the form of life, or long-term, imprisonment shall be introduced.143 Moratorium There is no moratorium on executions. The UN special rapporteur on torture has called for the introduction of a moratorium on executions in Uzbekistan. The OSCE Chairman-in-Office has expressed hope to see further steps taken towards abolition of the death penalty in Uzbekistan.144 Method of execution Shooting145 STATISTICS Access to statistics Statistics on death sentences and executions are not made public. In its concluding observations on the second periodic report submitted by Uzbekistan, the UN Human Rights Committee expressed its concern about the lack of information on the number of prisoners sentenced to death, grounds for conviction, and the number of executions. The Committee has urged Uzbekistan to “publish such information periodically and make it accessible to the public”.146 Death sentences Official statistics were not provided. In December 2004, President Karimov stated at a press conference that between 50 and 60 people had been sentenced to death in Uzbekistan in 2004. According to unofficial statistics compiled from media reports and information received from non-governmental organizations, at least six individuals were sentenced to death during the period from 30 June 2004 to 30 June 2005. Nazirzhan Azizov, Khurshidbek Salaidinov, and Bakhtiyorzhan Tuichiev were sentenced to death in October 2004.147 Yuldash Kasymov, Alisher Khatamov, and Ismatillo Abasov were sentenced to death on different dates in 2004 and 2005. The latter three were sentenced for murder with aggravating 143 144 145 146 147 Uzbek and international human rights organizations welcomed the decree but expressed concerns about the fate of those who have been already sentenced and those who will be sentenced until 2008. They have called for an immediate moratorium on executions and for the sentences to be commuted to life imprisonment. OSCE press release, 17 March 2005, Ljubljana. Article 51 of the Criminal Code. Article 140 of the Criminal Executive Code of 1 April 1995 provides that executions shall not be carried out in public. Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee: Uzbekistan, CCPR/CO/83/UZB, 26 April 2005, Paragraph 7. EUR 62/006/2005, Amnesty International, 11 May 2005. 42