In Uzbekistan, former political prisoner was accused of extorting $5
The Supreme Court of Uzbekistan denied rehabilitation to former political prisoner Salidjon Abdurakhmanov, and 4 days later a new criminal case was opened against him
In 2008, journalist and human rights activist Salidjon Abdurakhmanov was sentenced to 10 years on false charges. Having been released in 2017, he decided to go through all the necessary legal procedures in order to achieve rehabilitation. The Supreme Court of Uzbekistan deprived him of hope on September 23.
The meeting of the Criminal Cases Board of the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan was held online; a special video broadcast was organized. The judges of the Supreme Court decided the fate of the supervisory appeal in Tashkent, and Salidjon Abdurakhmanov at that time was in the criminal court of the city of Nukus.
The court passed in half an hour and completely ignored the arguments of the human rights activist about falsification of evidence that allegedly convicted him of possession and sale of drugs. The former political prisoner was denied the request for rehabilitation. The Uzbek court was not impressed by the decision of the UN Human Rights Council to violate Abdurakhmanov’s rights by the Uzbek authorities.
“Uzbekistan does not change. The hope after the new President, Shavkat Mirziyoev, came to power, was dashed…”, Abdurakhmanov said after the trial.
According to the site Centre1, the UN Council obliged Tashkent to pay compensation to Abdurakhmanov in a 180-day period and guarantee that this would not happen again. September 25, the deadline specified by the UN, was expired. It gave journalists a reason to affirm that “Tashkent does not intend to comply with the requirements of the international organization and restore justice in relation to Salidjon and other former political prisoners”.
Meanwhile, on September 27, the city prosecutor of Nukus charged Abdurakhmanov with $5 extortion. The journalist’s case is being investigated by an investigator for particularly serious crimes of the Prosecutor’s office of Karakalpakstan.
The moral and physical condition of 69-year-old Salidjon is not in the best condition, but being unbroken, he continues his professional activities.
Recently, in an appeal to Diego Garcia-Sayan, the UN special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, human rights activist Agzam Turgunov made a series of harsh statements about the neglect of the rights of political prisoners and political refugees.
He noted that “previously convicted persons on politically motivated sentences cannot achieve a review of their sentences, and therefore have no prospects for further rehabilitation”.
