Uznews.net – At closed hearings on 5 August the Kashkadarya Region court extended local human rights activist Gaybulla Jalilov’s current nine-year prison term by four years.

Jalilov, a member of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan who was convicted last January, was found guilty of conducting anticonstitutional activities in prison.

He was charged with promoting radical Islamic ideas and tried under Article 159 of the Criminal Code “attempting to overthrow Uzbekistan’s constitutional system”. He was earlier charged with Item 1 of Article 244 “producing and distributing materials threatening public security and order” and Item 2 of Article 244 “creating, leading and participating in religious extremist, separatist, fundamentalist and other banned organisations”.

After the second ruling, Human Rights Watch rushed in the activist’s defence, saying that the charges brought against Jalilov were not proven even in the first trial.

“Jalilov should not be in prison in the first place given the lack of credible evidence against him,” said Rachel Denber, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The extension of Jalilov’s sentence shows the harshness of the Uzbek government’s campaign against human rights activists.”

Jalilov’s state-appointed lawyer, who was hesitant to provide information about the case, fearing repercussions, said that the new charges were brought based on witness testimony that Jalilov had actively participated in religious gatherings, and that during these gatherings, he had taken part in religious studies and watched DVDs that contained religious extremist content, the organisation said.

Despite the convict’s denial of charges and insistence that the prosecution question witnesses in court, the judge ignored Jalilov’s demands.

“Jalilov’s rights – as a citizen, at trial, and as a detainee – have been persistently violated, and the Uzbek authorities need to release him and allow him to continue his work,” Denber said.

Tashkent-based activist Surat Ikramov, the head of the Initiative Group of Independent Human Rights Activists of Uzbekistan, is angry about the new charges and extension of Jalilov’s prison term.

He thinks by this the authorities are trying to intimidate other human rights activists who are continuing their activities.

Gaybullo Jalilov joined the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan in 2003 and was involved in protecting the violated rights of pious Muslims in Kashkadarya Region.

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