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Stop Human Rights Abuses
“Saving its Secrets”
May 11, 2008

"Saving its Secrets"

Government Repression in Andijan

I. Summary
II. Recommendations
To the Government of Uzbekistan
To Uzbekistan's International Partners
To States receiving asylum seekers from Andijan
III. Methodology
IV. Background
The Uprising and Massacre
Pressure on Refugees to Return to Uzbekistan
No Accountability for Killings of Unarmed People
Crackdown on Civil Society
International Response
V. Continued Repression in Andijan
Repression against Those Who Stayed in Uzbekistan
Returnees from Kyrgyzstan
Returnees from the United States
Families of Refugees Resettled Abroad
Wives
Sons and daughters
Parents
Surveillance and pressure not to leave the country
VI. Vulnerability of Uzbek Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Kyrgyzstan
Risk of Forced Return from Other CIS Countries
Acknowledgements
At the moment, the authorities look for anybody who remained in Andijan or came back from Kyrgyzstan or Kazakhstan. I was always asked [during interrogations] whom do I know related to the events who is still in Andijan … [The refugees] who came back from the US are under strong surveillance, although not directly persecuted. I think this is just for the time being. The government just wants to get everybody back to Uzbekistan to save its secrets.
-"Umar U.," an Uzbek refugee in Kyrgyzstan
Someone from the security service told me, "One day they [the returnees] will pay for it. One day they will make some mistake and we'll imprison them-if not officially for Andijan, then for something else.
-"Rovshan R.," an Uzbek refugee