Human Rights Watch (HRW) has made a public call for the release of Uyghur activist Valijon Kalonov, who has been detained in a psychiatric hospital in Uzbekistan since 2021. Kalonov’s detention originated from charges related to his online activities, specifically using social media in a way deemed threatening to public safety, alongside accusations of insulting the President of Uzbekistan. During his trial, state-appointed psychiatrists diagnosed him with a “chronic mental illness” characterized by obsessive-compulsive disorder and a lack of logical thinking, leading to his forced placement in psychiatric facilities.
The case has attracted international attention, with the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) finding that Kalonov’s detention was arbitrary, further highlighting how Uzbekistan violated its commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The UN body expressed concerns, concluding that detaining Kalonov as a punishment for exercising free speech contravened ICCPR’s Article 9, which protects individuals from arbitrary detention.
Throughout his legal battle, inadequate representation compounded Kalonov’s troubles. Notably, his current lawyer has not appealed the mandatory psychiatric treatment, although acknowledging that Kalonov did not suffer from any mental illness. This represents a clear breach of duty, according to HRW and other observers.
The circumstances of Kalonov’s detention reflect a broader strategy, as reported by HRW and other human rights entities, that the Uzbek government employs forced psychiatric detention to silence dissidents. History shows several comparable instances, where activists critical of the government were detained under the pretext of necessitated psychiatric treatment. HRW articulated these concerns citing Kalonov’s case as a significant example of this trend.
Kalonov’s activism primarily addressed the contentious treatment of Uyghurs in China, notably the mass internment in Xinjiang, and criticized the diplomatic relationship between Uzbekistan and China. These issues are incredibly sensitive; some states have gone so far as to characterize China’s actions against Uyghurs as genocide.
As Kalonov awaits any change in his situation, international attention and pressure, particularly from human rights organizations, remain pivotal in influencing Uzbekistan to reconsider its stance on his detention and the broader practice of silencing dissent through questionable psychiatric evaluations. For more details on this unfolding story, visit the JURIST website.