Human rights body calls for release of Salijon Abdurahmanov.

	Salijon Abdurahmanov was arrested on 7 June 2008

12.02.13 02:07

Human rights body calls for release of Salijon Abdurahmanov

Journalist from Karakalpakstan Salijon Abdurahmanov, 62, has not been pardoned again in a recent amnesty campaign. The Human Right Alliance of Uzbekistan (HRAU) has called for his release.

Today the HRAU urged international organisations and governments of democratic countries to help release Abdurahmanov.

He has been serving his 10-year-long prison term since June 2008 which was slapped on him by the Nukus court without proving his guilt.

Karakalpak police falsified a criminal case against him charging him with storing drugs in large consignments and at the trial did not

Abdurahmanov informed on violations of rights and abuses by local authorities to the international community that resulted in his prosecution and imprisonment”
Human Right Alliance of Uzbekistan

even conceal that the charges had been trumped up.

For his age and a number of other mitigating factors Adurahmanov could have been released or at least had his term reduced under an amnesty declared in honour of the 20th anniversary of the Uzbek constitution in December 2012.

Like many other political dissidents in the country, he was not able to qualify for an “act of mercy” of the Uzbek government.

The HRAU, its leader Elena Urlayeva said, have waited for two months since the announcement of the amnesty that it would be applied to Abdurahmanov but this has not happened.

The amnesty will be in force until 5 March, Urlayeva said. She hopes that joint efforts would help the release of Abdurahmanov.

The alliance appealed to the Uzbek ombudswoman, Sayora Rashidova, to take Abdurahmanov’s case under her personal control.

The alliance also appealed to the EU and the US to help Salijon Abdurahmanov.

Salijon Abdurahmanov was Karakalpakstan’s only independent journalist and human rights activist. He selflessly rushed to remote corners of Karakalpakstan to help protect rights and freedoms of people, the HRAU said.

“Abdurahmanov informed on violations of rights and abuses by local authorities to the international community that resulted in his prosecution and imprisonment,” the appeal said.

 

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