Javokhir Muminov (left) and Djura Akbarov (right) at the Kashkadarya Regional Prosecutor's Office, Uzbekistan.
(Berlin, June 18, 2026) – Uzbek authorities should release a local human rights activist accused of extortion and investigate his allegations of abuse in police custody, Human Rights Watch said today. Javokhir Muminov, the activist, told his lawyer on June 10, 2026, that following his arrest, police officers had beaten and suffocated him.
“This criminal investigation into Javokhir Muminov, coupled with his allegations of abuse, is reminiscent of a much darker time in Uzbekistan’s history,” said Mihra Rittmann, senior Central Asia adviser at Human Rights Watch. “The authorities should immediately release Muminov, investigate his allegations of ill-treatment, and ensure that he is provided urgent and adequate medical care.”
The case against Muminov is tainted by allegations of ill-treatment or abuse made by both Muminov and his lawyer. The allegations require immediate attention by law enforcement bodies in Uzbekistan, consistent with the country’s international human rights obligations, Human Rights Watch said.
Muminov, 34, is a member of the Ezgulik Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan, one of the oldest registered human rights groups in the country. He has published information about rights violations and other developments in Uzbekistan on his Telegram channel, including about alleged corruption and police abuse in his home region of Kashkadarya in southwestern Uzbekistan. He has also been involved in protecting the rights of Kashkadarya region farmers.
The criminal investigation and activist’s arrest follow Muminov’s efforts over the last year and a half to help Diura Akbarov, a local resident, defend his rights against two bailiffs, the chairperson of the Ezgulik human rights organization, Abdurakhman Tashanov, reported. In January 2025, the
