Front Line is deeply concerned following the sentencing, on 3 December 2007, of human rights defender Karim Bozorboyev to six years and three months in prison in the central city of the region of Syrdarya in Uzbekistan. Karim Bozorboyev is a member of the Ezgulik human rights society and a vocal protester against violations of human rights in Uzbekistan. Ezgulik ("Goodness") is one of the very few registered human rights organisations in Uzbekistan.
Further Information
Posted 17/12/2007 On 23 October 2007 Karim Bozorboyev was arrested in Gulistan, Uzbekistan for his role in a protest in Yangiyer, the capital of the region of Syrdarya. The protest was the culmination of a dispute between market traders and the authorities, following a decision made by the local government to move the site of the market. The situation had reportedly been escalating since May 2007 and when the traders blocked a road to protest on 22 October, Karim Bozorboyev offered to mediate between them and local authorities, who reportedly held him responsible for the demonstration. Karim Bozorboyev was arrested on suspicion of fraud and taken to the Syrdarya police department detention centre and was subsequently charged with this offence under Article 68 of the Uzbek Penal Code.
Karim Bozorboyev joined the Ezgulik group in 2004, after leaving the government-affiliated political party, Fidokorlar, in protest at government corruption. His work as a member of Ezgulik, most notably the discovery of corruption at a Gulistan mosque in 2006, has caused him to lose favour with the authorities. Front Line is concerned that his arrest forms part of an ongoing campaign against human rights defenders in Uzbekistan.
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This Urgent Appeal has now ended. No further action is requested at this point. Thank you for taking action on this case.
Front Line issues Urgent Appeals on behalf of human rights defenders at risk on a daily basis. These Appeals normally remain active on our web site for a period of up to six weeks, depending on the situation. After this time they will be archived. Front Line maintains a watching brief on all these cases but no further action is requested after the six weeks, unless there is a significant development in the case.
