Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Uzbekistan

114 More People, Including Officials, On Trial For Andijon

The number killed in mid-May in Andijon is still unknown (epa)

14 December 2005 -- Closed trials began today for 78 more people accused of taking part in an uprising in the eastern Uzbek city of Andijon in May and for 36 members of the security services accused of negligence in the affair.

TEXT SIZE - +

December 14, 2005

The Supreme Court said in a statement that the 78 civilian defendants are accused of "taking part in terrorist acts" in Andijon.

The 36 law-enforcement officials include police and soldiers charged with failing to prevent a series of attacks on government installations in the city. These were the first charges filed against officials in relation to the unrest.

However, dozens of people have already been found guilty on terrorist charges and sentenced to lengthy prison terms.

Uzbek officials say 187 people, mostly terrorists, were killed in the Andijon uprising. Rights advocates estimate the death toll to be much higher, with civilians numbering among the dead.

(AFP)

Aftermath Of Andijon

A dedicated webpage bringing together all of RFE/RL's coverage of the events in Andijon, Uzbekistan, in May 2005 and their continuing repercussions.

CHRONOLOGY

An annotated timeline of the Andijon events and their repercussions.

A vendor in the central Bosnian town of Zenica sells heart-shaped cushions with proclamations of love for 1 euro each.

Love It (Or Hate It), It's Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day, the Western holiday celebrating love, has become a global phenomenon over the past two decades. The fall of communism and the emergence of the Internet have helped February 14 become something of an unofficial international day of romance. However, not all the passions the holiday stirs are related to love. While some countries have openly embraced the holiday, others are attempting to ban it or replace it with local customs. More

Production and distribution of rap music is not officially banned, but it

Yo! Turkmen Rappers Flip The Script On Repression

For a growing number of Turkmen youth, rap music has become a way to express their daily struggles and inspire political change in one of the world's most oppressive countries. More