—– Original Message —–

From: HRW ECA

To: HRW ECA

Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 4:32 AM

Subject: Uzbekistan: Activists Released Before EU Meeting

For Immediate Release

Uzbekistan: Activists Released Before EU Meeting

EU Should Sustain Pressure on Tashkent to Release Other Imprisoned Activists

(New York, February 5, 2008) – The Uzbek government’s recent release of five individuals imprisoned for human rights work shows that sustained international pressure on Tashkent is effective, Human Rights Watch said today. The releases occurred in the days preceding an important bilateral EU-Uzbekistan meeting in Tashkent on February 5.

The five activists released or amnestied between February 2-4 are Umida Niazova, Saidjahon Zainabitdinov, Dilmurod Muhitdinov, Ikhtior Khamraev, and Bahodir Mukhtarov. Niazova was serving a suspended prison sentence after her seven-year prison term was commuted in May 2007 (http://hrw.org/ english/docs/ 2007/05/08/ uzbeki15881. htm). more…