реакция FIDH по делу Умиды Ахмедовой 

Paris, January 14, 2010 - In a context of tension towards civil societylinked to the parliamentary elections of December 27, 2009, independentjournalists are facing renewed pressure. On January 7th, 2010 Mr.Vassili Markov, Mr. Sid Yanyshev, Mr. Abdoumalik Boboyev, Ms. MarinaKozlova and former correspondent for “Radio Liberty” in Uzbekistan Mr.Khousnitdin Koutbitdinov were summoned by the Tashkent prosecutor'soffice, Mr. Bakhrom Nourmatov. Mr. Vassili Markov and Mr. AbdoumalikBoboyev refused the meeting arguing that they had not received anyofficial notification.

During the meetings, an officer of the prosecutor's office presented tothe journalists files containing information on their private andprofessional lives and informed them that the files had beentransmitted to him by the Services of National Security (SNB). Mr. SidYanyshev reported that the journalists were questioned aboutinternational conferences and seminars they attended, money transfersallegedly received from abroad during the past years, and “links” theyhad with foreign embassies, in particular with the US representation inTashkent.

The journalists were harshly criticized for giving a partial vision ofUzbek reality in their articles. Although they were free to go and nocharges were brought against them, FIDH fears in a context of constantpolitical repression in Uzbekistan that the journalists may facefurther harassment for “tarnishing the image of Uzbekistan”. Indeed, onDecember 16, 2009, the photographer Umida Akhmedova was accused of“slander” and “insult” under articles 139 and 140 of the Uzbek CriminalCode for her photographs published in the book “Women and Men: FromDawn to Dusk” presenting photos of everyday life in the country. MsAkhmedova is facing up to six months’ imprisonment or two to threeyears of “correctional work”.

FIDH expresses its deepest concern about the increasing pressure onjournalists and civil society representatives in general, which seemsto merely aim at silencing them.

FIDH calls the Uzbek government to:

- end state censorship of all forms of protected expression;
- cease harassment and intimidation of independent journalists workingin the country;
- unconditionally release journalists detained for their professionalactivities;
- allow international media forced to stop working in Uzbekistan, toregister their bureaus;
- issue an invitation to the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom ofExpression, as well as the Special Rapporteur on Torture and the UNSpecial Representative on Human Rights Defenders.
- and more generally, guarantee the right to freedom of expression, inline with Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights andArticle 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,to which Uzbekistan is a State Party.

-- Gaël GrilhotResponsable du service de presse – Press office DirectorFédération internationale des ligues des droits de l'Homme (FIDH)International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)+33-1 43 55 90 19 +33-1 43 55 90 19 - +33-6 72 284 294 +33-6 72 284 294 ggrilhot@fidh.orghttp://www.fidh.org – www.blogfidh.org

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