(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has urged European Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten to raise the issue of press freedom and the cases of five jailed journalists during his 18 to 19 March 2004 visit to Uzbekistan. Patten is expected to meet with President Islam Karimov in Tashkent. The organisation highlighted the case of journalist and […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has urged European Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten to raise the issue of press freedom and the cases of five jailed journalists during his 18 to 19 March 2004 visit to Uzbekistan. Patten is expected to meet with President Islam Karimov in Tashkent.
The organisation highlighted the case of journalist and human rights activist Ruslan Sharipov in particular. Sharipov has been imprisoned since his arrest on 26 May 2003. He was sentenced to four years in prison for “homosexuality” and “having sexual relations with minors”.
RSF believes Sharipov’s trial was unfair and designed to silence a dissident voice and serve as a warning to other journalists and human rights activists in Uzbekistan.
A former president of the Union of Independent Journalists of Uzbekistan (UIJU) and a correspondent for the Russian news agency Prima, Sharipov had been the target of various types of harassment aimed at forcing him to give up his work as a human rights defender and preventing him from criticising the authorities in his articles.
Sharipov complained several times of physical and psychological harassment at the start of his detention. His prison conditions have improved since 12 March 2004, due to the time he has already served and good behaviour. The authorities say he may be released in June.
In its appeal to the European commissioner, RSF also referred to four other journalists who are currently serving prison sentences in Uzbekistan.
– On 18 August 1999, Jusuf Ruzimuradov, editor-in-chief of the opposition newspaper “Erk”, was sentenced to eight years in prison. His confession was obtained by means of torture and psychological pressure, including threats that his family members would be raped if he did not admit his guilt. He was charged with “seeking to overthrow the government by force”, “membership in an illegal organisation” and “using the press to insult the president”.
– On the same day, Mohammed Bekjanov, also a journalist with “Erk”, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on the same charges.
– On 10 March 2001, Madjid Abduraimov, of the weekly “Yangi Asr”, was arrested. A few months later, he was sentenced to 13 years in prison for “corruption”. He is known for writing articles that are critical of the political and legal authorities.
– On 18 February 2003, journalist Gayrat Mekhliboyev was sentenced to seven years in prison for “belonging to the banned Islamist party Hizb ut-Tahrir”, “anti-constitutional activities” and “religious agitation”. His sentence came one month after he completed his journalism studies at Tashkent University. He was also accused of using his journalistic work to produce religious propaganda.
