According to this, on August 10 of this year, the Ombudsman and members of the Public Groups for the Detection and Prevention of Cases of Torture made a monitoring visit to Correctional Colony No. 6 of the Namangan region.

The monitoring was attended by representatives of local and foreign non-profit organizations and civil society institutions, including the NGO "Legal Support", the NGO "Institute for Democracy and Human Rights", the NGO "Humanitarian and Legal Center", the national movement "Yuksalish", a representative office of the Swedish organization The "Central Asian Association" in Uzbekistan, the NGO "Madad", the association "Hunarmand", the administration of Namangan region, as well as a human rights lawyer and the media took a direct part and got acquainted with the conditions created in the institution.

It should be noted that during the previous monitoring conducted under the leadership of the Ombudsman, recommendations were made to improve the conditions in the canteen and latrines for prisoners, and create additional conditions for persons with disabilities.

Also, as part of the monitoring visits conducted last year, an anonymous survey was conducted among convicts, and based on the results of the survey, proposals and recommendations were developed. Duringthevisit, theseaspectsweregivenspecialattention.

During the visit, the sleeping quarters of the colony, the kitchen, the library, the medical department, the rooms for long-term and short-term meetings, and the conditions in the production area were studied. During the monitoring, it was found that the recommendations given by the Ombudsman were taken into account, the kitchen and latrines were renovated, ramps were installed at all entrances under the appropriate degree for people with disabilities.

For information: the institution contains about 25 convicts with disabilities. The institution's library was also found to contain books in Braille.

It should be noted that this year the regional representative of the Ombudsman in Namangan region, together with the Hunarmand Association and the administration of Namangan region, organized a 2-month training course in the direction of "Manufacturing of metal products" for convicts serving sentences in this penal colony No. 6 of the Pop region areas.

Certificates were awarded to 56 convicts who completed this training course. As part of the monitoring visit, certificates were awarded to about 10 prisoners who were trained in the new craft.

Group and individual interviews were also conducted with prisoners. A prisoner working in a bakery came to this institution and reported that he had mastered the profession of a baker and developed his own business plan. According to him, he receives a monthly salary of 900,000 soums from the bakery.

After monitoring, the Ombudsman held a reception of prisoners who wished to file a complaint on an individual basis. Most of the appeals of prisoners are related to judicial investigative processes. Appeals of prisoners who asked for help in treatment were resolved on the spot.

For information: in order to use torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, in the first half of 2023, the Ombudsman and his public groups made 348 monitoring visits to places of detention of persons with limited freedom of movement. Inthefirsthalfof 2022, thisfigurewas 156 times.

In order to ensure the timely elimination of shortcomings identified during the monitoring visit, the recommendations of the Ombudsman will be submitted to the relevant ministries and departments.

We remind you that the analytical data prepared by the Ombudsman on the results of monitoring visits on the prevention of torture, including the shortcomings identified during the monitoring, are sent to the chambers of the Oliy Majlis, as well as to the relevant state bodies.

Press Service of the Authorized Person of the Oliy Majlis for Human Rights (Ombudsman)