Over 10 months of 2023, the Ombudsman and Public Groups conducted 452 monitoring visits to places of detention. In the period of 10 months of 2022, this figure was 297.
114 of the monitoring visits were carried out to penal colonies, 102 to pre-trial detention centers, 98 to temporary detention centers, 35 to special reception rooms, 17 to rehabilitation centers, 23 to branches of narcological scientific-practical medical centers, 19 to psychiatric hospitals, 25 to "Sakhovat" and "Muruvvat" houses, 12 to medical points for persons under the influence of alcohol, 7 to district (city) departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
During the monitoring visits, more than 8,000 group meetings and about 3,000 individual meetings were conducted with accused and convicts. During the visits, living conditions, food, labour, medical care and quality, cultural and educational activities organised for persons held at these institutions, as well as compliance with sanitary and hygienic requirements and other similar matters were reviewed.
Based on the shortcomings identified during the monitoring, over 10 months the Ombudsman sent 7 position submissions, 2 advisory opinions, 6 requests and 2 analytical memos to the responsible and relevant ministries and departments.
Also, the Ombudsman submitted 4 analytical papers to the chambers of the Oliy Majlis.
Over the 10 months of this year, the Ombudsman received 1,809 applications from persons held in the places of detention, as well as from their close relatives and defenders (lawyers). Of these, 644 applications were sent by mail, 312 received during the on-site visits and 271 during individual meetings, 309 through “Ombudsman Boxes”, 227 in electronic form and 46 through the Ombudsman’s hotline. It should be noted that 49 percent of all applications were sent directly by accused and convicted persons.
During the review of applications, 14 accused were transferred to the penal institutions close to their places of residence.
Benefits were paid to 3 accused serving their sentences at settlement-colonies.
Practical assistance in obtaining ID cards was provided to 119 persons kept at the “Muruvvat” house and 3 persons kept in psychiatric dispensaries, as well as to 42 accused in penal colonies and 3 children of 2 female convicts.
Based on the application from accused and convicts to the Ombudsman, 27 people serving their sentences underwent a medical examination and were placed in hospitals for treatment.
With the support of the local administration, more than 100 million soums of financial assistance were allocated to the family members of 62 accused, and medical services were provided to the close relatives of 17 accused persons.
Also, medical examinations were carried out by specialists as a cardiologist, neurologist, ophthalmologist, ENT for persons held in pre-trial detention center No. 7, colony settlements No. 37 and 38 of the Samarkand region, colony settlement No. 27 of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, as well as in correctional colonies No. 4 and 5 located in the Navoi region.
The Ombudsman received 147 complaints about mental, psychological, physical or other pressure on persons held at the places of detention by law enforcement officers. Of these, 28 were received during individual meetings conducted during monitoring visits, 23 through the “Ombudsman Boxes”, 46 from the administration of penitentiary institutions and close relatives of accused persons (convicted) via mail, 22 during receptions of the Ombudsman and the Secretariat’s respective staff, 22 in electronic form and 6 through the Ombudsman’s hotline.
It is important to note that 21 messages about mental, psychological, physical or other pressure posted on social networks were reviewed and positions were expressed. 9 requests from the Ombudsman were submitted to the resposible ministries and departments.
Source: Authorized Person of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights (Ombudsman)