Nasrullo Saidov has been living in Canada.

Uzbekistan: Police is looking for the dissident, residing in Canada

Despite the fact that Uzbek dissident Nasrullo Saidov has been living in Canada since long ago, where he was granted political asylum, his last name is still indicated in the list of religious extremists, wanted by police. Ferghana.Ru sources in the law enforcement bodies of the Bukhara Oblast of Uzbekistan report that criminal case, filed against Saidov few years ago, is still not closed. The evidences are the announcements about wanted criminals, distributed in Bukhara, and, specifically in the airport, local visa and registration office, the Oblast department of internal affairs.

Nasrullo Saidov in enlarged view

In the beginning of 2000s Nasrullo Saidov, the native of Vabkent district of the Bukhara Oblast, was the member of Erk opposition party and managed its Oblast branch until he had to leave Uzbekistan: the criminal cases have been filed against him, blaming him in the economic crimes and consequently in the dissemination of opposition songs by Dadakhon Khasanov. In November of 2005 he left Uzbekistan, lived about two years in Kyrgyzstan and in July of 2007 moved to Canada.

Ferghana.Ru contacted Saidov with the request to comment on the current situation. The political emigrant shared that he left Uzbekistan on November 18, 23005 when he learned about the decision of the government to arrest him for distribution of audio tapes with the songs of Dadakhon Khasanov.

– On November 11, 2005 Djamal Kutliev and Khazrat Akhmedov from Gizhduvan district were arrested on this affair. They were tortured in order to produce statement against me because at that time I was the Head of Erk party regional branch. In a view of Andijan events, the government wanted to use the opportunity to neutralize the opposition leader in the region. After the first interview at national security office I realized that they were going to put up criminal case against me – says Saidov. – Signing the recognizance not to leave I left the republic. The Bukhara Oblast court sentenced Djamal Kutliev for seven years while Khazrat Akhmedov was sentenced for four years of jail; this is just because of listening to music.

Saidov has a strong desire to return home. On December 28, 2006 in Bishkek he sent the letter, addressed to Uzbek Attorney-General Kadyrov with the request to stop persecution and let him go back home. In response, the letter was forwarded to National Security Service of the Bukhara Oblast and after that black PR campaign was launched against Saidov: local television informed that Saidov is blamed in terrorism and he is currently wanted. Few police officers were assigned to regularly watch his family members, demanding to share information about the activity and location of emigrant.

– In the last twenty years I was writing that I have an opinion, different from the one in the government. Nonetheless, I never supported forced solution of problems. I have constructive proposal on important issues to the government of Uzbekistan and that is it – notes Saidov. – At the end of September of 2009 I sent another message Attorney-General and the Senate Chairman in Uzbekistan with the request to stop persecuting me and let me return. I got no response.

It has to be mentioned that the photos of wanted people are also distributed throughout Tashkent. The wallpaper contains about 23 pictures of people that are accused of felonies in religious extremism. Such wallpapers are seen in all the market places as well as front doors of few big local residential buildings.