Islam Karimov's Nephew Released From Uzbek Psychiatric Clinic

Journalist Jamshid Karimov is a nephew of the late Uzbek President Islam Karimov. (file photo)

A journalist and nephew of the late Uzbek President Islam Karimov has been released from a psychiatric clinic where he was held almost continuously for more than 10 years, according to the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE).

In a March 1 statement, OSCE media-freedom representative Dunja Mijatovic welcomed the release of Jamshid Karimov.

There was no announcement from the Uzbek government, and the OSCE statement did not say when Karimov was released.

It also did not mention Karimov's family, but he is known to be the nephew of Islam Karimov, who died in 2016 after ruling the Central Asian country with an iron hand for more than 25 years.

Jamshid Karimov, 49, had garnered attention for his articles criticizing Uzbek government and local officials in Jizzax province.

He was initially confined to a psychiatric institution in Samarkand in 2006.

He was released in 2011, but several months later was again placed in a psychiatric clinic.

Mijatovic also urged Uzbek authorities to release all imprisoned journalists, including Yusuf Ruzimuradov, Salijon Abdurahmanov, and Dilmurod Said.