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Alert

Third charge levelled against imprisoned journalist; confiscated documents included interviews with witnesses of 2005 Andijan massacre

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) - The following is a 14 February 2007 ARTICLE 19 press release:

ARTICLE 19 PROTESTS AGAINST DETENTION OF UZBEK JOURNALIST UMIDA NIYAZOVA

ARTICLE 19, the Global Campaign for Free Expression, is very concerned about the detention of Uzbek journalist and human rights defender Umida Niyazova.

Ms Niyazova has been in detention since being arrested in Tashkent on 22 January, when she was taken to the pre-trial detention unit in the eastern city of Andijan. On 26 January, she was handed over to the prosecution in the capital, Tashkent.

On 21 December 2006, Ms Niyazova's computer and passport had been confiscated upon her arrival from Kyrgyzstan in Tashkent, and the journalist was subsequently temporarily detained. The customs officials arresting her alleged that her computer contained 'anti-constitutional' materials. The documents, among other things, included interviews with witnesses of the Andijan massacre of 13 May 2005, when Uzbek law-enforcement officials killed hundreds of people who participated in a peaceful demonstration in the city of Andijan. Ms Niyazova fled Uzbekistan and sought protection from the United Nations in Kyrgyzstan.

Ms. Niyazova's lawyer, Abror Iusupov, advised her return to Uzbekistan. However, following a meeting with him, she was arrested. The Uzbek Transport Prosecutor's Office initiated a criminal case against Ms Niyazova for violation of Articles 233 ("illegal crossing of the border") and 246 ("illegal importation of banned materials") of the criminal code. Later, Ms Niyazova was also charged with "collection and distribution of materials threatening public security" under Article 244. The journalist was sentenced to three months' imprisonment.

Two days ago, on 12 February 2007, the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situation (CJES), alarmed at the threat to Ms Niyazova's health due to the poor conditions in Uzbek prisons, decided to go public on the fact that the journalist had been connected to it - something that was previously confidential information for safety reasons - and to urge the Uzbek authorities to release her. Umida Niyazova worked for CJES since 2000, as well as with the Central Asian internet magazine "Oasis" since 2005. She has also worked for Internews Uzbekistan and Freedom House, and as a translator for Human Rights Watch.

ARTICLE 19 strongly condemns the detention of Ms Niyazova, which appears connected to her work researching and attempting to document human rights violations by the Uzbek authorities. Uzbeks - and particularly the relatives of the Andijan victims - have the right to know the circumstances of the massacre.

We also recall that Uzbekistan is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), a binding treaty whose Article 19 requires the authorities to respect and protect freedom of expression. This right applies "regardless of frontiers" and therefore, absent a strong justification, States may not prohibit the import of any type of material containing information or ideas.

ARTICLE 19 strongly urges the Uzbek authorities to immediately release Ms Niyazova and to review the way Article 246 of the criminal code applies to documents and other records for its compatibility with the ICCPR.