Haldarov [Kholdorov], Isroil
Who, Why and How exiled: A political activist from Andijan, member of the banned Erk party. Haldarov was one of many activists who fled to Kyrgyzstan after the Andijan massacre of hundreds of unarmed protesters in May 2005. Haldarov spoke to the international media about the mass graves around Andijan, which the government had denied. Afraid of arrest, Haldarov fled to Kyrgyzstan, where he organised an unauthorised peaceful demonstration on the border town of Kara-Suu in May 2006 (Amnesty International, 2014).
Stage 1 details (accusations/ charges/ Interpol notice/ extradition requests): Uzbek government has been accused of persecuting anyone considered in connection to the massacre of holding any information that would counter the government's version of events (Human Rights Watch, 2008).
Stage 2 details (arrest/ detention/ extradition): Arrested in September 2006 for crossing the border from Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan. In February 2007, a court in Andijan sentenced Haldarov to six years imprisonment- under charges of illegal border crossing, anti-constitutional activities and distributing extremist materials (Human Rights Watch, 2008).
Stage 3 details (attack/ abduction/ rendition/ torture/ assassination/ death): Disappeared on 10th July 2006. Holdarov was kidnapped by Uzbek security services in Kyrgyzstan and subsequently returned to Uzbekistan (Human Rights Watch, 2008). According to witnesses 5 days before his sudden disappearance and while remaining in Kyrgyzstan in Osh, he was under the surveillance of unknown people. Further the security services in Kyrgyzstan often used to question him for some obscure reasons (Mirsaidov, 2006) Allegedly, Haldarov was tortured in detention in 2006 and forced to admit his involvement in an attempt to overthrow the Uzbek government. It has been suggested that Haldarov was also tortured for his comments concerning the mass graves at Andijan (Amnesty International, 2014)
Other actions during Stages 1–3 (dispossession/ overseas assets frozen/ intimidation/ action against associates/ …): Amnesty International have claimed that Holdarov violated prison rules on two incidents- failed to attend a prison inspection and refused to carry a heavy object, as ordered by a guard. However, Haldarov had been locked inside the prison office when the inspection was took place and had refused to carry the object due to his age and ill health- currently 63/64 years old (Amnesty International, 2013).
Legal status (refugee/ asylum seeker/ resident): Registered with local office of UNHCR as an asylum seeker (Ilkhamov, 2015).
Current status: In June 2012 a court extended Haldarov's sentence by three years- for allegedly violating prison rules, according to Article 221 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan (“disobedience to legitimate orders of administration of institution of execution of penalty”) (Amnesty International, 2014) In 2018 Haldarov has been released after 12 years imprisonment, so far without an explanation by the Uzbek authorities. (Anadolu Ajansi, 2018)
Press sources: Amnesty International, Letters Against Forgetting: Isroil Haldarov (July 2014) .[Online]. Available at: https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=https://www.amnesty.de/briefe-gegen-das-vergessen/2014/6/usbekistan-isroil-kholdorov&prev=search Human Rights Watch, 'Human Rights Watch UPR Submission on Uzbekistan', 3rd December 2008. .[Online]. Available at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2006/08/24/kyrgyzstan-uzbeks-disappear-while-seeking-asylum Ilkhamov,A. 2015. 'Ten Years after Uzbekistan’s Massacre, the Tragedy Continues to Unfold' 12th May 2015. .[Online]. Available at: https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/voices/ten-years-after-uzbekistan-s-massacre-tragedy-continues-unfold. Human Rights Watch, 2008. 'Uzbekistan: events of 2007' Human Rights Watch.[Online]. Available at: https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2008/country-chapters-0 Amnesty International, 2013. Public Statement: Uzbekistan: Believing the rhetoric: How the international community is failing to hold Uzbekistan to account over its human rights obligations, Index: EUR 62/003/2013, 10 May 2013. Хайрулло Мирсаидов [Mirsaidov], 2006. "На юге Киргизии обостряется обстановка". 16th of July, 2006. [Online]. Available at: http://www.dw.com/ru/%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D1%8E%D0%B3%D0%B5-%D0%BA%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B3%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%B8%D0%B8-%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D1%8F%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%81%D1%8F-%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BA%D0%B0/a-2097960 Anadolu Ajansi, 2018 ‘Özbekistan’da Muhalif Siyasetçi 12 Yıl Sonra Serbest Bırakıldı’ <https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/dunya/ozbekistanda-muhalif-siyasetci-12-yil-sonra-serbest-birakildi/1071981> [accessed 23 June 2019]