Only the Devil Lives Without Hope (2020) - full transcript

For almost five years I had no contact with anyone.

I broke all ties completely. Even to people who helped me.

I pulled away completely.

I had dedicated my life to revealing the true face of the regime.

They defeated us. We had to give in.

Thank God we were not crushed.

Good day, can I talk to lawyer Hudajberdjev?

Say it's Dilobar from Sweden. This is regarding Iskandar Khudoberganov.

Unger!

I'll be posting a video on Facebook, so be quiet.

Dear friends. As most of you know, my brother Iskandar -



- for over 16 years -

- sitting in the Uzbek prison Jaslyk.

My family has been fighting for his release all these years.

Uzbek authorities falsely accused him of serious crimes.

We have tried to get in touch with him after we moved to Sweden.

When he was transferred to Jaslyk, we completely lost touch.

In the last ten years I have written over a hundred letters, -

- but it has not led to anything.

I do not know what he looks like today.

The only picture we have of Iskandar is a passport photo from when he was 25 years old.

We have not received any information.

-Hello? -Hello. Is that Dilya?

Hello. Artur her. I was born in Uzbekistan, but now I live in Bishkek.

Nice.



I've heard you're also in Jaslyk Prison.

Yes. From 2011 to 2014.

I have a brother who also sits there.

Convicted due to religious or political reasons, I guess?

You probably remember the February 1999 bombings.

My brother's name is Iskandar. Iskandar Khudoberganov.

- Was he there? Does the name sound familiar? -No.

Did you have the opportunity to meet the religious or political prisoners?

No. It was not allowed to associate with them.

But sometimes we were in the same isolation ward.

I saw battered and debilitated prisoners being thrown into cells.

They were half unconscious when they were carried in.

Our only dream is to meet our son again before we leave earthly life.

Hopefully we will get good news.

Hopefully.

We've been waiting so long. Do not lose hope now.

Longing in this way is unbearable. It cuts to the heart.

Only the devil lives without hope.

"Dear Mom and Dear Sister Dilobar!"

"I hope this letter reaches you."

"Their souls must be tormented, but believe me:"

"It was never my intention to hurt you."

Letter from Iskandar, September 2002 "I have not killed anyone or robbed anyone's house."

"I can not make bombs, and I have said that."

"But what can I do under so much pressure?"

"Everything I have written is true."

"In the basement there were investigators or police agents."

"They did not let me sleep, and I starved for several weeks."

"When they kicked me in the crotch and in the head, I persevered."

"When they tied my hands, kicked me in the kidneys" -

- "and hit my head on the wall, I persevered."

"But when they said, 'Think of the honor of your mother and of your sister,'" -

- "otherwise it will be ugly ..."

"Then I could do no more."

"I had to confess."

Today, our capital, Tashkent, was attacked.

At 11 o'clock, explosive devices detonated in four parts of the city.

The first near the Interior Ministry.

It was an assassination attempt on President Karimov.

If you want to help me, do not panic.

We are strong enough to lock them in, and not only that:

If necessary, we cut off the hands of the bandits.

In 1999, I was only 17 years old.

On February 21, there was a knock on the door. I opened, -

- and 15-20 men with black masks and submachine guns stormed in.

They took my father away.

In the evening, at ten o'clock, he returned.

He was in poor condition.

The clothes were dirty and full of footprints.

He must have been lying on the floor.

He said, "Do not be alarmed. It is not dangerous."

"But they're after Iskandar."

"He knows those behind the bombs and is a terrorist," they say.

Being an independent journalist in Karimov's Uzbekistan was very dangerous.

There were very few journalists, maybe ten people, who were not afraid.

I covered the lawsuits.

Every single one of them was a political process.

Everyone who was arrested, for whatever reason, was tortured.

People confessed to anything during torture.

I remember a trial in November or December. It was cold and dark.

In a cage in the courtroom sat some thin and exhausted men.

One of them was Iskandar.

He was accused of being an Islamist who wanted to escape to Afghanistan, -

- and for attempts to undermine the state.

I remember a fat judge ...

I had seen him in a dozen lawsuits before.

With no sign of remorse, he sentenced ten people to severe punishment.

The corpulent man listened angrily to the defendants' explanations, -

- then he quickly shrugged off the verdicts and went his way.

Suddenly we saw a young girl with burning eyes, full of pain.

It was Dilya, his little sister.

She was not afraid to talk to the journalists.

She explained that they had started persecuting believing Muslims.

The young girl wanted to save her brother, who could receive the death penalty.

It was impossible not to believe this schoolgirl.

-Are you kind and introduce yourself? - My name is Dilobar Khudoberganova.

I am part of the organization "Mothers against the death penalty and torture."

For two years, my brother has been in a death cell.

An animal would not survive there for a day even.

He was punished for his innocence.

Because he was a simple, believing man who prayed to God.

In 2002, Dilya's brother was sentenced to death.

When Dilya protested, and the UN asked questions, the execution was postponed.

The repression of practicing Muslims in Uzbekistan began in 1999.

It does not matter if you are guilty or not.

If you know Arabic and go to prayer in the mosque, you are an extremist.

I do not believe in our country anymore.

The system is getting worse and worse.

Even in the Soviet Union, repression was not as severe as it is now.

With the help of Amnesty, we organized demonstrations and wrote letters.

Every time I went to court, they complained about the bags with letters, -

- demanding that my brother be released.

-Should I name you? -Of course.

-Are you not afraid of problems? -No. It could not get worse.

- We'll take that road. It is easier. -In that direction?

-Can you make it? -Sure.

Sit on, like on a toboggan, and I'll push you up the hill.

I've talked to your aunt. They have 20 degrees now.

It is pure spring in Tashkent, she says.

-Do not hope the cold comes back. -You know what happens every January.

We had to flee our country.

Just as one escapes from the fire.

They forced us out of there.

Do you remember when we had just come here?

We wondered what kind of place this was.

What was going to happen now?

I met Anvar in 2006, -

- at a major international meeting on the situation in Uzbekistan.

He was not afraid to tell the truth. He was in the opposition.

He was very caring.

Eventually I realized that he was in love with me.

He made a good impression on my parents. They liked him.

They thought I had suffered so much, -

- and thought he would make me happy. And we got married.

Greetings, dear friends.

This event is blessed in a special way.

Two families must be united.

I feel that the soul of Anvar's father and grandfather rejoices with us.

It was August 11, 2007. On my brother's birthday.

I asked Anvar to choose the date of the marriage.

I was sure it would mean happiness.

I had married a good man.

He promised to make me happy and never hurt me.

"Together we will fight for Iskandar to be released."

We've been waiting since 3 in the morning -

- on Islom Karimov's last journey. We loved him and mourn him.

We mourn with his family and all the citizens of our country.

Uzbekistan is developing rapidly now.

We will implement crucial reforms, -

- to create a new image of our country.

Based on humanistic principles, we have investigated many individual cases -

- in our prisons.

-Welcome, Dilobar. -Thanks.

We are pleased to see major changes in Uzbekistan.

Are there real changes or just games for the gallery?

Changes are made. It is good.

We can only hope that it continues like this. Only the devil lives without hope.

It was hard to comprehend what happened the first time he hit me.

For no reason at all, he could start an argument and start screaming.

When someone wants an argument to end with physical violence, -

- and do not let one go until he is done ...

There is no way to avoid it.

It could be that he suddenly just hit me.

He punched me in the face with his fist.

He could hit me anywhere on the body.

And in the face, as I said, with the fist.

He watched every step I took.

He monitored who I was talking to, who sent me emails ...

I was not allowed to talk to human rights activists and organizations.

If I tried to contact my brother through a lawyer, he got angry.

When I wanted to do something about my brother's case,

- he put obstacles in the way and sabotaged the attempts.

When I asked him what he was doing, he became aggressive and started shouting:

"Your brother is guilty. He has confessed! He is a terrorist."

The man with the cap is Anvar Karimov.

It was in Stockholm in May 2005.

We demonstrated against what had happened in Andijan.

The horrific massacre in which soldiers shot down ordinary civilians.

They were beaten and tortured! Is it a fair trial?

I was born here in Andijan. I have 4 sons and 13 grandchildren.

And I want justice!

Anvar was the first to call me and tell me what had happened.

He said: "We have to organize a big demonstration."

So Sweden would get to see the true face of the Karimov regime.

He had copies of the passports of almost everyone. People had even given them to him.

I remember once when he flew from England to Uzbekistan.

He returned from Uzbekistan and was here for a week.

Then he suddenly flew back to Uzbekistan again.

For a person who had been granted political asylum in Norway -

- and was in Sweden and organized public meetings and demonstrations ...

For such a person, it was impossible to travel to Uzbekistan legally.

But he flew back and forth without any problems.

He lived there and got married, and then he came here again playfully easy.

One day he called and said he was here with his wife. Their name is Dilobar.

Anvar was a man who was difficult to understand.

It was difficult to understand what he wanted.

He talked to weird people -

- by phone or via Skype. Uzbek ...

Even though he closed the door, I sometimes heard something.

I started asking questions: "Who are those people?"

He replied, "It does not concern you."

Uzbek refugees who had sought political asylum, -

- he spread negative propaganda about.

I understand that what he was doing could harm innocent people, -

- so I started to pull away ...

From human rights activities and from communicating with others.

The man who had described himself -

- as a staunch supporter of the opposition, -

- had made a complete U-turn after he came to Sweden.

One day I asked about those he was talking to.

Whether they stood on the side of the regime? He answered yes.

I never talked about my brother Iskandar.

Once in February 2012, Anvar suddenly said:

"I have to go to Ukraine." And then he left.

Later I listened to a Swedish news broadcast -

- that Imam Obid Qori Nazarov had been shot near his home.

A man in his 50s was found with gunshot wounds this afternoon.

A gun was found at the scene. Police see it as an assassination attempt.

The man has gunshot wounds. He was shot in the head.

The injuries are life-threatening.

It was the imam in Strömsund who had been shot.

He came to Sweden from Uzbekistan and was a leading critic of the regime.

Prior to the assassination attempt, he had been critical of the Uzbek regime.

Friday was the jail meeting. The suspect is a 37-year-old with an Uzbek passport.

When Anvar came home, I asked if he had heard about the attack.

"No, not that dew," he hissed.

I said he had to quit what he was doing.

If he did not quit ...

... people should know who he really was.

"I'll email everyone and show them your true face."

Then he mentioned my brother.

He threatened me: "I will eliminate all your relatives."

I took the children and left him.

After eleven years in prison, Azan Farmonov was released.

He claims he was acquitted.

-Say something to our friends. -But what? I want to start again.

He is one of the human rights activists who was imprisoned on the wrong grounds.

He never pleaded guilty and says he was tortured in prison.

I do not know if I dream or not.

Right now I'm reading a report about your brother.

Here is a picture of him.

On January 17, 2014, I was moved from ward 2 to ward 1.

There I met Iskandar.

I had heard that international organizations had taken up his case.

"A campaign has been launched. Is it you?"

"I honestly do not know," he said.

When I saw the pictures you had posted on Facebook, I realized that it was him.

"I said to my wife, 'I know who he is.' I've talked to him. "

This is the first time I've talked to someone who's met my brother in prison.

Can you tell a little more?

I miss him so much. I want to know more about him.

He talked about how much he loves and misses his family.

I would like to ask you something else:

There are different types of people there, right?

There are probably radical people -

- with radical religious ideas?

Did you notice anything like that in my brother?

I noticed no negative radicalism in his actions or behavior.

I'm happy and grateful to hear that.

The man said he looked thin. But he has always been thin.

-He must have turned gray in his hair now. -He had shaved his head.

He will do anything to get him out.

He may be released. Everything is changing fast now, they say.

He is due to call a lawyer later this month.

He is a good person.

A good person.

For many years I have been praying that God will lead us to good people.

Everything is going to be OK.

When he said he had met him, it was as if I had done it myself.

I would like to point out that I have colleagues in this country -

- who believe it is wrong to defend people accused of such serious crimes.

This document authorizes me to be his attorney.

It will open all the doors and also let me visit Iskandar.

But they can come up with a hundred reasons not to let me in to my client.

I do not know in advance what reason they invent to prevent me.

"Hello, dear brother!"

"Here I sit and write my next letter to you."

"I do not know if you have received my letters in the last ten years."

"But only the devil lives without hope."

"Both mom and dad are fine and miss you very much."

"I'm fine too. I have three children now."

"My youngest daughter Maryamkhon was born in 2016, on your birthday, August 11."

I hope the lawyer can give him the letter.

"During these years, so much has happened to us" -

- "as I want you to know."

"I can not forgive myself ..."

... "because I'm not near you, but live so far away."

"Like your sister, I should be there and play your wounds."

"Thank God you're alive."

Hi, Sergei Alexandrovich. I sincerely hope you have good news.

Well ... On Monday I got to meet your brother.

I greeted him from you and your parents.

I showed him the letter from you and gave it to a security guard.

He read it and came back after a few minutes. Then I gave the letter to Iskandar.

But I was not allowed to take a picture of him.

Then the conversation took a surprising turn.

First he came up with a wish:

I had to tell you and your parents -

- that you had to stop working on his case.

It was unexpected.

He explained that he was guilty of the crimes he was accused of.

He had acted under the influence of those peoples -

who had convinced him that jihad and resistance in the name of God, -

- justified all types of crimes against others.

Therefore, he considered that the punishment he had received was fair -

- and in accordance with what he had done.

So no attempt had to be made to mitigate the punishment.

He was very grateful that you were involved in his destiny.

He thought he had changed.

I had no idea what he wanted when he called.

He wanted to meet the children again. He begged me.

He cried and asked me to forgive him. Said how much he had missed the kids.

When I got there with the kids ...

Both clung to their father and hugged him. They were happy.

He said he wanted to go for a walk with the kids.

We went to a playground.

On the way home we sat and talked together.

My daughter was sitting next to me, and my son, Olimjon, was sitting in the front seat.

Suddenly Anvar started driving very fast.

Then he suddenly turned, opened the door and jumped out.

The car drove down into a deep ditch with the front first and spun around.

I screamed and shouted.

Some cars stopped, and we were helped to get out.

The security police and regular police came to me several times.

They said that Anvar had left Sweden, and that they had wanted him.

But he had not been caught.

They found files on his PC with plans to kill more Uzbeks in Sweden.

A death list.

The father of my children, one I once trusted ...

A man I was close to worked for the regime we were fighting against.

The regime that had imprisoned my brother.

They act in ways you can not imagine.

They have tried to take us in every way.

Thanks to God's grace, they have not been able to break me.

-We live in a similar forest area. -So nice.

Almost all of Sweden is covered by forest.

Tashkent must have changed a lot.

I even went to old funnels.

Hopefully Iskandar will also be released soon.

Why are your cheeks so swollen?

They are not. On the contrary - I was emaciated.

-I was so skinny. -You look completely different.

17 years is not a short sentence.

A lawyer met Iskandar in Jaslyk.

What he said came as a big shock to me.

Iskandar seemed like a completely different person.

I've known him since I was little.

We went for walks, did our homework, went to school and the mosque together.

I know very well what he has done and not done.

The lawyer said that Iskandar did not want me to take up his case again.

"Leave me alone. I only have a short time left of the punishment."

He said this to the lawyer when they met.

He's in a situation that I can understand, because I've been there myself.

When the security service or other government officials -

- come to talk to me, -

- I always said that I had not committed the crimes and was innocent.

They wrote it down and left.

Then a year passed, and I was not even considered for amnesty.

Later I realized -

- that they thought I would reveal the truth if I was released.

After five or six times, I finally said I had done it.

"I take the blame for everything you accuse me of."

"Everything. I made a mistake and apologize for that."

"I have committed the crimes. I will never live like this again."

Then they said, "Now he understands a little."

Now you admit your guilt, -

- the regime believes that one is no longer a danger to them.

Iskandar has realized that.

Therefore, he has taken the blame.

Therefore, he asked the lawyer to be left alone.

He believes that the more attempts are made to prove his innocence, -

- the more the sentence is extended.

It is going to be okay.

It's so nice of you to be here.

May it go well with you and your children.

The Elysee Palace, the residence of the French President.

Presidents Mirzyaev and Macron have just had talks.

This is the first time in 22 years that an Uzbek president has visited France.

First of all, I would like to ask President Mirzyaev -

- release the religious and political prisoners who are still imprisoned.

My brother, Iskandar Khudoberganov, is one of them.

Khudoberganov's sister does not intend to give up the fight to get him released.

Mr President, Iskandar has been released.

Mr President, Iskandar has been released.

Mr Mirzayev, please release Iskandar Khudoberganov.

We demand the release of Iskandar Khudoberganov.

Mr. President. Release my uncle, Iskandar, please.

Hey!

Are you okay, Mom?

God be praised. Soon we will see him again.

Hey, Dad. You're happy too, aren't you?

A human rights activist has visited a political prisoner sentenced to life.

Abduraxmon Tashanov from the human rights group Ezgulik was in Jaslyk -

- where Iskandar Khudoberganov is serving a life sentence.

-Here he is when he writes letters. -His eyes are so full of sorrow.

The poor man has no meat on his bones.

They have not broken his soul, that's the important thing.

I say that a word that means mom gathers us here.

On mom's birthday.

Today we have many fine dreams about the future.

Soon comes the time when we can gather the whole family again.

Congratulations.

It looks like we are going to be reunited with our other near and dear ones.

We can only hope so.

The sun looks amazing. It flickers.

We spent two years in the basement of a prison in Tashkent.

Iskandar and I stuck our hands out through the lattice -

- to get some sun.

We thought it would give us vitamins and be good for us.

Greetings, dear parents, dear brother and sister.

I want to thank everyone who has helped us. God bless them.

I also want to thank their parents. May they lead their children on the path.

Right now I can only say thank you. May God preserve you.

-Tell how the conditions are here. -They are good. I get visits and can call.

I will receive the letters and pictures you send.

I was especially happy when I saw Maryam holding up the picture of me.

I am filled with longing and it feels difficult.

If God wills, I will soon be released, and we can meet again.

We will try to get everyone's blessing. My only intention is to do good.

Do good for the family and for complete strangers ...

It's all about doing good.