On August 10, 2023, the representative office of the “Central Asian Association” Society participated in the monitoring to study the conditions in the penal institution No. 6 in the Pop district and to check whether the rights of the detainees are ensured there. The conditions created there were studied, conversations were held with the prisoners.

A few years ago, there were reports of an inmate committing suicide in this prison. Interviews were held with prisoners and responsible persons in this regard. Penitentiary No. 6 in Pop district mainly holds persons accused of serious and violent crimes (the majority of those imprisoned under Article 97 of the Criminal Code). During the investigation, it is said that the convict who hanged himself also killed his wife accusing her of treason and later committed suicide.

It was noted that about 50-60 percent of the prisoners were employed and provided with a monthly salary. However, it was found that they have problems with meetings with close family members, or that meetings are sometimes postponed or delayed.

Also, when I got acquainted with the books in the institution’s library, the main part of the fiction literature belongs to the 90s (maybe even older), and the number of new literature is not large. Azamjon Formonov, who was kept in “Jasliq” prison for many years, said that he had read all the books in the library (including artistic and legal works) over and over again for more than 11 years, so he had memorized the contents of the works. Therefore, because the demand for books in institutions with limited freedom of movement is high, literature in the library is required to be updated frequently. Because reading also educates the psyche of a person and provides spiritual nourishment.

Gulnoz Mamarasulova, director of the representative office of the Association of Central Asia in Uzbekistan
August 11, 2023