Kyrgyz Human Rights Activist Released From Jail

A leading Kyrgyz human rights defender, Ravshan Gapirov, has been released from jail, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.

Gapirov, a lawyer and human rights activist, was sentenced to one year in prison on December 19 for his support of the banned Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir in an article circulated online.

Officials said he was released from custody because his pretrial detention lasted more than one year.

Before his incarceration, Gapirov often provided protection to members of banned religious groups.

In an interview with RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, he said he has no faith in the current judicial system.