Journalist Umida Niyazova released following appeals court decision
(WiPC/IFEX) – The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is delighted by the 8 May 2007 news that journalist and human rights defender, Umida Niyazova, who was sentenced to seven years in prison on 1 May 2007, has had her sentence reduced to a suspended term by an appeal court. According to a report […]
Human rights worker sentenced to seven years in prison for “speaking up about things the government tries to silence,” says CJES
(CJES/IFEX) – The following is a statement by CJES: On 1 May 2007, the Sergeli District Court in Tashkent, under the presiding judge Nizam Rustamov, sentenced CJES’s colleague Umida Niyazova to seven years in prison. During two days of so called “justice”, Uzbekistan managed to demonstrate neglect of its own Constitution. Criminally enough and – […]
Trial of human rights defender resumes without notice; judge prompts and cuts short witnesses
(HRW/IFEX) – The following is a Human Rights Watch press release: Uzbekistan: Human Rights Defender’s Trial Opens Charges Stem From Materials on Andijan Massacre (Tashkent, April 30, 2007) – The trial of Uzbek human rights defender Umida Niazova unexpectedly got under way in Tashkent today, Human Rights Watch said today. Niazova, who works as a […]
One rights defender sentenced to six years in prison, another’s trial indefinitely postponed; crackdown exposes failure of EU policy, says Human Rights Watch
(HRW/IFEX) – The following is a Human Rights Watch press release: Uzbekistan: Defender Sentenced to Six Years Unrelenting Crackdown Exposes Utter Failure of EU Policy (Tashkent, April 27, 2007) – The six-year prison sentence handed down to Uzbek rights defender Gulbahor Turaeva on April 24, 2007 underlines the need for the European Union to maintain […]
Journalist’s forced detention in psychiatric hospital, in apparent retaliation for his reporting, extended for six more months
(WiPC/IFEX) – Dzamshid (Jamshid) Karimov, held under psychiatric detention since September 2006, has reportedly had the order extended for a further six months and is now not due to be released until mid-September. The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN fears that Karimov is apparently held in retaliation for his reporting on human rights […]
Government “trying to silence us”, says Human Rights Watch; trial date of journalist Niazova set
(HRW/IFEX) – The following is a 15 April 2007 Human Rights Watch press release: Uzbekistan: Crackdown on Human Rights Before EU Meeting (New York, April 15, 2007) – Uzbek authorities denied work accreditation to the Tashkent office director of Human Rights Watch, and announced that the trial of Human Rights Watch’s translator Umida Niazova would […]
Imprisoned journalist Umida Niyazova subject to inhumane treatment, faces possible 15-year sentence
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 12 April 2007 CPJ press release: In Uzbekistan, third charge brought against imprisoned journalist Umida Niyazova New York, April 12, 2007 – The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by a third charge against a Tashkent-based independent journalist and human rights researcher, who has been imprisoned since January 22. […]
Second Deutsche Welle journalist charged with “working without licence”
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 9 April 2007 CPJ press release: UZBEKISTAN: A second Deutsche Welle reporter criminally charged New York, April 9, 2007 – The Committee to Protect Journalists deplores the criminal charges filed against Yuri Chernogayev, correspondent for the German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle. Tashkent prosecutors charged Chernogayev on March 27 with […]
Journalist flees country following filing of criminal charges against her for “practising without a licence”
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 27 March 2007 CPJ press release: In Uzbekistan, Deutsche Welle reporter faces criminal charges New York, March 27, 2007 – The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the filing of criminal charges against Natalya Bushuyeva, Tashkent-based correspondent for the German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle. On Friday, the prosecutor’s office in […]
Journalist faces criminal proceedings for “practising without a licence”; government using new law to pressure journalists working with foreign media
(IPI/IFEX) – The following is a 28 March 2007 IPI press release: IPI Concerned About Pressure on Independent Journalists in Uzbekistan According to information before the International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, leading journalists and media executives in over 120 countries, the Uzbek government is using a new accreditation law to apply […]
Third charge levelled against imprisoned journalist; confiscated documents included interviews with witnesses of 2005 Andijan massacre
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 14 February 2007 ARTICLE 19 press release: ARTICLE 19 PROTESTS AGAINST DETENTION OF UZBEK JOURNALIST UMIDA NIYAZOVA ARTICLE 19, the Global Campaign for Free Expression, is very concerned about the detention of Uzbek journalist and human rights defender Umida Niyazova. Ms Niyazova has been in detention since being […]
CJES correspondent sentenced to three months in prison for “illegal transportation of information material”
(CJES/IFEX) – A CJES correspondent has been sentenced to three months in prison on spurious criminal charges. On 22 January 2007, Uzbek journalist and human rights defender Umida Niyazova was arrested and taken to the pre-trial detention unit in the Uzbek city of Andijan. She was detained for four days. On 26 January, she was […]
Human Rights Watch translator, active in local human rights organisation, jailed on charges of bringing “extremist” literature across the border
(HRW/IFEX) – The following is a 26 January 2007 Human Rights Watch press release: Uzbekistan: Release Human Rights Defender (New York, January 26, 2007) – Uzbek authorities should immediately release an Uzbek human rights defender who went missing earlier this week and has been detained on politically motivated charges, Human Rights Watch said today. Umida […]
Wrongly-convicted journalist freed
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has welcomed the unexpected release of freelance journalist Ulugbek Khaidarov, who was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment on 5 October 2006 after being wrongly charged with “extortion and blackmail”. He was set free, to general surprise, immediately after the adjournment of his appeal hearing. But his release should not allow the constant […]
Reporter sentenced to six years in prison despite witness reversal
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 5 October 2006 CPJ press release: Uzbek reporter sentenced to six years in prison despite witness reversal New York, October 5, 2006 – The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged by the six-year prison sentence given today to independent reporter Ulugbek Khaidarov following a two-day trial in which the […]
Missing journalist found forcibly detained in psychiatric hospital; imprisoned journalist shows signs of mistreatment
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 26 September 2006 CPJ press release: One Uzbek reporter confined in hospital, another in prison; CPJ alarmed by reports of treatment New York, September 26, 2006 – The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by news that Uzbek journalist Dzhamshid Karimov, nephew of the president, has been forced into […]