Uzbekistan: Human rights defender and journalist Salijon Abdurahmanov sentence upheld

Update

Front Line is deeply concerned by the decision of the Karakalpak Supreme Court’s Appeal Commission yesterday to uphold journalist and human rights activist Salijon Abdurahmanov’s 10-year prison term without explaining its decision. Salijon Abdurahmanov is a founding member and leading journalist with Uznews.net, a member of the Real Union of Journalists of Uzbekistan, and a member of the Committee to Protect Individuals' Rights in Karakalpakstan. He has also worked for Radio Liberty and the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, and has made public statements concerning human rights violations and restrictions on freedom of expression in Uzbekistan.

Further Information

Posted 13/10/08. Salijon Abdurahmanov was arrested on 7 June 2008 and accused of drug “use”, a charge that changed to “selling drugs in large consignment”, under Article 25-273, (5) of the Uzbek Criminal Code, when tests revealed that he had not taken any drugs. The human rights defender denied the charges and insists that the drugs that were found in his car had been planted there by police.