“I wanted to be a human rights activist”: details of the death of a prisoner raped with a mop were revealed

Prisoner Takhirjon Bakiev, who was tortured in prison in 2021, died in the colony without waiting for the verdict of his tormentors. Human rights activist Svyatoslav Khromenkov told how Bakiyev lived and what he asked for.

– As far as we know, Bakiyev died on February 4. And on February 7, he was supposed to have a trial on torture,” says Svyatoslav Khromenkov. – The hearing of the case was coming to an end. They were waiting for a debate, then a verdict on the prisoners who tortured Bakiyev. I hope Takhirjon’s death will not prevent the court from passing a verdict. We don’t understand what will happen to the civil case. The victim filed a claim for compensation for moral damage. The deceased has a sister and brothers, we hope they will be recognized as victims. Maybe they will pay some compensation.

– When was the last time you communicated with Bakiyev?

– Last week he called one activist and was brave. He said that they promised to give him an x-ray, but they never did. He complained that everything inside hurt and asked for painkillers, which were not given to him. Last Friday I contacted a lawyer and discussed cases in the courts to collect compensation for moral damage. He asked to recover 9 million rubles from three convicted colony employees and six “developers.” According to the lawyer, Takhirjon was fine.

And shortly before his death, Bakiyev sent a long letter on 13 pages. We won’t publish everything, there’s a lot of purely personal stuff in there. But we paid attention to the episode where he writes: if he dies, he would not want everyone to think that he did it himself.

Excerpts from the letter: “Wherever I turn (on health – “MK”), there is only one answer: everything is according to the law, sit and be silent. Your reasons are not significant! My spine is damaged, my intestines are torn, and I have a colostomy bag on my stomach. Is this not significant? Help me please. I can’t cope on my own anymore. I don’t want to die here with the wording that I myself…

…I’m not a villain to disfigure me like that, and then drive me crazy in this way…

… I ask you to help me reach the president to ensure my safety and protect me from constant pressure… Help me go to court to consider and satisfy a petition asking for my release for health reasons.”

– Did Bakiyev often complain about his health?

– He complained about back pain, but then he stopped. Because he had been trying to get an MRI for almost a year, but he was refused. In the fall, he was at the commission to extend the disability group, they examined him and said: an MRI is not needed. I didn’t see any point in asking anymore. After 7 months he was supposed to be released. He was preparing himself for liberation, saying that he wanted to live. I thought he would get out of prison and solve all the health issues. Although he still hoped for reconstructive surgery on the intestines, he stood in line. But before the operation, he had to undergo a comprehensive examination, including an MRI, which he could not achieve in a pre-trial detention center.

– Besides health, what did he think about doing after his release?

– He wanted to be a human rights activist. I spoke about this several times.

– Why, after those tortures, was he not released earlier on parole?

– According to Bakiyev, after the story of torture was made public, they put pressure on him, threatened him, demanded that he give up his struggle. He then applied for parole, but said that he was refused. Perhaps if he had stopped fighting his offenders, he would have been released earlier. But this is from his words. There is no evidence.

-You don’t believe that he committed suicide?

– I am a lawyer, I have no evidence that he was driven to suicide or anything else. We have submitted an application for an inspection. A thorough investigation needs to be carried out. We will achieve this.

– How will he be buried?

– The investigator contacted his sister, she can come and pick up the body. The woman lives in the north and raises 9 children. I hope he comes for the body. If he doesn’t take it, Bakiyev will be buried as an unclaimed deceased.