Uznews, Tashkent, 28 Aug 2008 – The Senate of the Uzbek parliament today adopted a resolution on pardoning in connection with the 17th anniversary of the country’s independence – it is a slim hope for the release of convicted human rights and political prisoners.
The resolution has not been published yet.
Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency has reported that Uzbek President Islam Karimov initiated the amnesty for those who committed crime because of carelessness or were convicted for crimes that do not pose danger to public order.
The amnesty will also cover the disabled and people aged over 60. It will not be extended to those who committed murders.
The chairman of the Initiative Group of Independent Human Rights Activists of Uzbekistan, Surat Ikramov, said that people convicted for political and religious motives had not been pardoned for two years running.
Uznews.net’s correspondent and human rights activist from Nukus Salijon Abdurahmanov is now in custody. Ikramov believes he may be released either at the investigation stage or during the court trial.
This depends on investigation bodies which are hardly interested in the release of Abdurahmanov any time soon, especially when he is only 58 now.
There is almost only little hope for the acquittal of Mutabar Tajibayeva, head of the human rights Fiery Hearts Club who was arrested in October 2005 and sentenced to eight years in prison in March 2006, and released on 2 June due to replacement of her sentence with a suspended sentence.
For this, police have to write a request saying that she has not committed any violation of law since her release, Ikramov said. “But such a request will hardly be written.”
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