• Human Rights Defenders in the OSCE Region
two rebel leaders.100 One defender was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment
on charges of “extortion” for blackmailing a woman who had allegedly put
money in his pocket right before police arrested him.101 Another defender was
sentenced to two days in prison for “light hooliganism” after calling for a fair
trial of police officers in a murder case.102 Another human rights defender was
sentenced to 30 days in prison after questioning the fairness of a court decision
sentencing a 14-year-old boy to a seven-year prison sentence for “attempted
murder” and “hooliganism”.103
2.
Administrative detention. Human rights defenders were also subjected to
administrative detention. One was sentenced to six months’ administrative
detention and fines for destroying a database containing complaints about
human rights abuses before it could fall into the hands of the police, who
had entered his apartment to pursue what turned out to be false accusations
against his son.104 Yet another was jailed just prior to the arrival of a group of
international parliamentarians, apparently in an attempt to silence dissent.105
3.
Detention in psychiatric institutions. Within the review period, at least one
human rights defender was committed to forced hospitalization for nine
months after sending a letter abroad complaining about human rights
violations in his country.106
4.
Bans on travelling abroad. Defenders were sometimes banned from attending
gatherings abroad. One defender wanted to visit a number of events −
100 Case of Stanislav Dmitrievsky/RCFS (Russian Federation), UN SRSG, op. cit., note 15, para.
572; FIDH/OMCT, op. cit., note 19, p. 532 (Russian Federation).
101 Case of Ulugbek Khaidarov, HRW, “Uzbekistan: Journalist Imprisoned in Widening
Crackdown”, press release, 6 October 2006. For more cases, see FIDH/OMCT, op. cit., note 19, pp. 550562 (Uzbekistan).
102
Case of Lasha Chkhartishvili (Georgia), FIDH/OMCT, op. cit., note 19, pp. 513-514.
103 Case of Jaba Jishkariani (Georgia) FIDH/OMCT, press release, 23 March 2007, Ref. No. GEO
004 / 0606 / OBS 085.2.
104
Case of Ivan Kruk (Belarus), “Human Rights in the OSCE Region”, op. cit., note 62, p. 255.
105 Case of Elena Ovezova, Sapardurdy Khajiev and Annakurban Amanklychev (Turkmenistan),
UN SRSG, op. cit., note 16, para. 701; HRW, “Authorities Must Immediately Release Detained Human
Rights Defenders”, press release, 20 June 2006.
106 Case of Kakabai Tejenov (Turkmenistan), HRW, “World Report 2007”, p. 431. Mr. Tejenov was
released in October 2006 following international intervention. The Government of Turkmenistan denies
that he has ever been detained or forcefully confined in any medical institution.
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