Authorities of Kazakhstan deny asylum status to Aqylbek Muratbai
On 13 September 2024, Kazakhstani authorities rejected the asylum application of Karakalpak human rights defender, community leader, and advocate Aqylbek Muratbai. The human rights defender now faces the possibility of extradition to Uzbekistan, where he could receive a severe prison sentence.
On February 15, 2024, Kazakhstani authorities arrested Karakalpak human rights defender, community leader, and advocate Aqylbek Muratbai in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The authorities intend to deport him to Uzbekistan, at the request of the Uzbekistani authorities. Given the scope of the current repression against vocal critics of Uzbekistan’s policy towards Karakalpakstan, if extradited, Aqylbek Muratbai could face a severe prison sentence.
Aqylbek Muratbai is a Karakalpak human rights defender, community leader and advocate living in exile in Almaty, Kazakhstan. He has been raising awareness about the human rights violations the Uzbekistani authorities committed against the people of the Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan since July 2022, when the peaceful protests calling for independence commenced in Karakalpakstan, and Uzbek authorities engaged military equipment to suppress the protests. Since 2022, the goal of the Uzbekistani authorities has been to suppress the free expression of the people of Karakalpakstan, including the voices of human rights defenders such as Aqylbek Muratbai. He has been working to support the Karakalpak diaspora in Kazakhstan, as well as providing extensive support to the Karakalpak activists and dissidents, who fled Uzbekistan due to persecution from the Uzbekistani authorities.
On 13 September 2024, Kazakhstani authorities rejected the asylum application of Karakalpak human rights defender, community leader, and advocate Aqylbek Muratbai. The human rights defender now faces the possibility of extradition to Uzbekistan, where he could receive a severe prison sentence. He and his lawyer will appeal the decision.
Aqylbek Muratbai is a Karakalpak human rights defender, community leader, and advocate living in exile in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Since July 2022, when peaceful protests calling for independence began in Karakalpakstan, he has been raising awareness about the human rights violations committed by Uzbekistani authorities against the people of the Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan. The Uzbek authorities used military equipment to suppress these protests. Since then, their goal has been to silence the free expression of the people of Karakalpakstan, including the voices of human rights defenders like Aqylbek Muratbai. Aqylbek Muratbai has been working to support the Karakalpak diaspora in Kazakhstan and providing extensive assistance to Karakalpak activists and dissidents who fled Uzbekistan due to persecution by the Uzbekistani authorities.
On 13 September 2024, Kazakhstan’s asylum commission denied Aqylbek Muratbai’s request for asylum, citing that his "fear of persecution upon return to his home country is groundless and unsubstantiated." At the time of the decision, Aqylbek Muratbai had spent almost seven months in a pre-trial detention center. This decision removes the protection he had from extradition to Uzbekistan, meaning he could be transferred to Uzbekistan at any time, depending on the decision of Kazakhstan's Prosecutor-General’s Office.
The decision by Kazakhstani authorities overlooks the critical reality facing Karakalpak human rights defenders and activists, particularly after the protests of July 2022 erupted in response to Uzbekistani authorities’ attempt to pass constitutional amendments revoking Karakalpakstan’s autonomy. Since then, Uzbekistani authorities have targeted and prosecuted human rights defenders who reported on grave human rights violations in Karakalpakstan, including Aqylbek Muratbai.
Immediately after his arrest and detention, Aqylbek Muratbai applied for asylum in Kazakhstan, and on 23 February 2024, Kazakhstani authorities granted him the status of a "person seeking asylum." This status was initially valid until 23 May 2024, and was later extended. A person with such status cannot be extradited.
On 15 February 2024, Kazakhstani law enforcement officials arrested Aqylbek Muratbai in Almaty based on an interstate search warrant issued by Uzbekistani authorities. The government of Uzbekistan has charged Aqylbek Muratbai with "the production, storage, distribution, or display of materials threatening public safety and order," under Paragraph 1 of Article 244 of Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code, and requested his extradition from Kazakhstan, where he had resided for almost 10 years.
Given the ongoing repression of critics of Uzbekistani policies toward Karakalpakstan, if extradited, Aqylbek Muratbai could face a lengthy prison sentence. Front Line Defenders expresses deep concern over the denial of asylum status for the Karakalpak human rights defender, community leader, and advocate Aqylbek Muratbai. It highlights the risk of his potential extradition to Uzbekistan, as there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Uzbekistani authorities are targeting him for his peaceful and legitimate human rights work.
Front Line Defenders calls upon the Uzbekistani authorities to immediately cease targeting Aqylbek Muratbai with transnational repression and to withdraw the extradition request. It also calls upon the Kazakhstani authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Aqylbek Muratbai, recognizing that the extradition request is retaliation for his human rights work.
On February 15, 2024, Kazakhstani authorities arrested Karakalpak human rights defender, community leader, and advocate Aqylbek Muratbai in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The authorities intend to deport him to Uzbekistan, at the request of the Uzbekistani authorities. Given the scope of the current repression against vocal critics of Uzbekistan’s policy towards Karakalpakstan, if extradited, Aqylbek Muratbai could face a severe prison sentence.
Aqylbek Muratbai is a Karakalpak human rights defender, community leader and advocate living in exile in Almaty, Kazakhstan. He has been raising awareness about the human rights violations the Uzbekistani authorities committed against the people of the Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan since July 2022, when the peaceful protests calling for independence commenced in Karakalpakstan, and Uzbek authorities engaged military equipment to suppress the protests. Since 2022, the goal of the Uzbekistani authorities has been to suppress the free expression of the people of Karakalpakstan, including the voices of human rights defenders such as Aqylbek Muratbai. He has been working to support the Karakalpak diaspora in Kazakhstan, as well as providing extensive support to the Karakalpak activists and dissidents, who fled Uzbekistan due to persecution from the Uzbekistani authorities.
On February 15, 2024, around 10 PM law enforcement officials in Almaty, Kazakhstan, arrested human rights defender Aqylbek Muratbai, and detained him in the Temporary Detention Ward of the Police Department of the city of Almaty. Law enforcement officers have stated that the detention of the human rights defender follows the Uzbekistani authorities’ interstate search warrant issued against Aqylbek Muratbai. The Prosecutor’s Office in Kazakhstan will decide if the human rights defender will be extradited to Uzbekistan. Allegedly, the Uzbekistani authorities are charging the human rights defender with the “production, storage, distribution or display of materials containing a threat to public safety and public order,” an offense envisioned by Paragraph 1 of Article 244 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan. Given the scope of repressions against the vocal critics of Uzbekistani policy towards Karakalpakstan, if extradited, Aqylbek Muratbai could face a severe prison sentence.
Uzbek authorities have been targeting Karakalpak human rights defenders and activists since July 2022, when protests erupted right after constitutional amendments on Karakalpakstan’s independence that the Uzbekistani government introduced in June 2022. To suppress the protests, Uzbek authorities reportedly used lethal force and military-grade ammunition, which led to at least 27 deaths and more than 200 injuries. Since the mass protests, Uzbek authorities have been targeting human rights defenders and community leaders, who supported the peaceful protests and who continue to bring visibility to the disproportional violence used by the Uzbekistani authorities. In January 2023, the Bukhara Regional Court sentenced human rights defender and lawyer Dauletmurat Tajimuratov, who is a community leader in Karakalpakstan, to sixteen years in prison. The human rights defender was tried along with twenty-two other Karakalpak protesters. In October 2023, the representatives of the Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Almaty already put pressure on Akylbek Muratbay, asking him not to make public statements about the pressure Uzbekistani authorities put on Karakalpak people.
Front Line Defenders is gravely concerned about the arrest, detention, and intention to extradite Karakalpak human rights defender, community leader and advocate Aqylbek Muratbai at the request of the Uzbekistani authorities. Front Line Defenders believes that Uzbek authorities are targeting the human rights defender and community leader with an interstate search warrant as a result of his human rights work in Karakalpakstan.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Kazakhstan:
- Immediately and unconditionally release human rights defender and Karakalpak community leader Aqylbek Muratbai, refuse his extradition to Uzbekistan, and ensure his physical and psychological integrity;
- Guarantee that all human rights defenders in Kazakhstan, including those living in exile, are able to carry out their legitimate activities in defense of human rights and can operate freely without fear of restrictions or reprisal.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Uzbekistan to:
- Immediately cease targeting human rights defender and Karakalpak community leader Aqylbek Muratbai;
- Refrain from targeting Karakalpak human rights defenders for their peaceful and legitimate human rights work;
- Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Uzbekistan, including those in the territories of the Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, can carry out their human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions, in line with Uzbekistan’s international human rights obligations and commitments.
