U.S. Group Posts Video Of Andijon Events
June 23, 2006
The Uzbek government has rejected an independent investigation of the May 2005 events (RFE/RL)
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace says that to the best of its knowledge, the footage is a montage of several videocassettes seized by Uzbek authorities, and is based on materials of two different cameramen among the demonstrators.
Uzbek authorities claim that the cameramen who shot the footage were supporters of the outlawed Islamic group Akramiya.
The footage shows armed men mixing among peaceful protesters.
The Uzbek government insists that the Andijon events were instigated by armed Islamic militants. Tashkent has also refused international calls for an independent investigation into the May 2005 bloodshed.
Rights advocates say many more people were killed in the crackdown than the government admits, including many unarmed civilians.
(with material from AP)