9 November 2005
An Uzbek human rights defender, although released from the psychiatric hospital where she was being detained by a court order, is being forced to continue to take the drug Rispolept that is used to treat schizophrenia.
Front Line believes that the Uzbek authorities are attempting to silence and undermine the human rights work of Elena Urlaeva by using Brezhnev-era tactics of labeling dissidents insane and forcing unnecessary ‘treatment’ and long stays in psychiatric hospitals upon them.
Director of Front Line Mary Lawlor said: “This is yet another example of the relentless crackdown on the legitimate activities of human rights defenders and journalists by the Uzbek authorities since the Andijan massacre in May earlier this year.” 
