Son Of Uzbek Activist Charged With Counterfeiting
May 29, 2006 -- Police in Uzbekistan have filed counterfeiting charges against the son of a jailed human rights activist.
Ilhom Zaynobiddinov was detained on May 22. The Interior Ministry says he is now charged with producing fake Kyrgyz and Uzbek bank notes, as well as stamps and other documents.
The Interior Ministry said that his arrest is not connected to human rights activity.
However, the independent website ferghana.ru reported that Zaynobiddinov was detained for establishing contacts with his father's fellow activists and carrying on his father's work.
His father, Saidjahon Zaynobiddinov, headed the local human rights organization Apelatsiya (Appeal). He was jailed after reporting on the violent crackdown on protesters in the city of Andijon one year ago.
(AP, AFP)
Violence in Andijon, Uzbekistan, on May 14, 2005 (epa)
TALKING ABOUT ANDIJON: On May 9, 2006, RFE/RL, the National Endowment for Democracy, and U.S.-based human rights organizations cohosted a conference on the May 2005 events in Andijon and their aftermath in Uzbekistan and throughout the region. The first panel featured Andijon eyewitness GALIMA BUKHARBAEVA, National Endowment for Democracy Fellow NOZIMA KAMALOVA, RFE/RL Central Asia analyst DANIEL KIMMAGE, and others. The second panel featured presentations by U.S. Senator JOHN MCCAIN and U.S. Congressman CHRISTOPHER SMITH, who used the forum to announce they had introduced legislation calling for sanctions and other measures against the government of President Islam Karimov.
LISTEN
Listen to the Andijon conference. Part One (70 minutes):
Real Audio Windows MediaPart Two (60 minutes):Real Audio Windows MediaThe Uzbek government's response:Real Audio Windows Media
THE COMPLETE STORY: 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
For an annotated timeline of the Andijon events and their repercussions, click here.