The chairman of the Andijan human rights group, Appeal, Saidjahon Zainabitono, is serving a seven-year prison sentence on 'slander' and 'terrorism' charges. His trial has been widely described as a sham, violating international standards.

He was arrested after speaking out about the Andijan massacre. The slander charges, which predate the Andijan events, stem from three email bulletins sent in January 2004, May 2004, and April 2005. The other charges stem from the Andijan uprising. According to information provided by the government, the court found that during the Andijan events Zainabitdinov conspired with terrorists by providing information by telephone about the events. The government also said that a search had found "slanderous" leaflets that distorted the May 13 events, including one entitled Human Rights Organizations Appeal to the Government, and Human Rights Defenders Accuse the Karimov Regime of Crushing All Opposition." Saidjahon Zainabitdinov was one of the few people who provided updated reports on the events as they unfolded. Front Line firmly believes these charges are politically motivated.