UN welcomes closure of Jaslyk prison in Uzbekistan

AKIPRESS.COM - The United Nations in Uzbekistan has welcomed closure of the Jaslyk prison and urged not to use it anymore in criminal justice system, Gazeta.uz reports. The disastrous conditions in Jaslyk prison were criticized by UN Special Rapporteur for Tortures Theo Van Boven during his visit to Uzbekistan in November and December 2002, who said the government should consider closure of the prison in Jaslyk, which location causes incarceration conditions equal to cruel, human and degrading treatment or punishment.
The UN is ready to provide assistance in building national preventive mechanism in Uzbekistan, which should help prevention of use of tortures.
Family members of all prisoners in Jaslyk should be timely and properly informed where their relatives will be transferred, the UN urged.