She passionately appeals to Western politicians invited to the ceremony not to sit next to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the honor podium. The text is below is reproduced as is (it exists also in Russian):
We see the following solid arguments that have pushed us to make this appeal.
On the eve of the 9thanniversary of the May 2005 events in Andizhan in Uzbekistan, we decided to remind the UN Committee on Human Rights about the fate of the Uzbek military people convicted that time on fabricated criminal charges of espionage. One of the high-profile cases is of Sanzhar Ismailov’s, the first deputy chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan (GRU), who headed the intelligence and information and interaction sectionof the Main Intelligence Directorate. The public is almost not aware of the criminal case as it was framed and is kept in secrecy.
On the eve of celebrations to mark the 70thanniversary of the Normandy landings, “Fiery Hearts Club” International Human Rights Organizationappeal to French and Western politicians invited to the ceremony to support the initiative of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and not to sit next to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the honorable podium for the organizers and guests.
We see the following solid arguments that have pushed us to make this appeal.
On 15 May 2014, in the appeal hearing, the Criminal Court of the Navoi region reduced a recently imposed sentence against human rights defender MrGanihon Mamathanovby three months to two years, three months and six days.
The human rights defender has been in prison since October 2009 as a result of previous convictions, and he was due to be released in March 2014. The new sentence, originally handed down on 29 March 2014, is in relation to charges of disobedience to prison authorities.
Navoi Regional Criminal Court considered the appeal in regard of human rights activist Ganikhon Mamathonov on May 15, 2014, and changed the verdict of the first instance court.
Jarayon was informed about this from a source in Uzbekistan.
Judge N.Mamirov from Navoi City Criminal Courtchaireda trial in regard of human rights defender Ganikhon Mamathonov on March 29, 2014 right in penal institutions №64/47 located in Kyzyltepa district, Navoi province, and sentenced the human rights activist to two years,six months and six days in jail.
US, EU Should Press for Accountability, End to Rights Abuses
May 13, 2014
A man mourning at the funeral for his brother, who was killed during the Andijan events.
The long shadow of Andijan and the crackdown the government unleashed in its wake still hang over Uzbekistan’s people and their government’s relations with the world. Until President Karimov ensures accountability for the killings and stops harassing anyone who dares to speak openly about Andijan, it will be impossible for Uzbekistan’s international partners to take his repeated claims of reform seriously.
Steve Swerdlow, central Asia researcher
ILO denies systematic use of forced child labor in the cotton harvest in Uzbekistan: a diplomatic ploy to gain concessions from the government or an attempt to deny the commonly known problem?
International Labour Organization (ILO) voiced its opinion in early April 2014 on the monitoring results on child labor in cotton harvest in Uzbekistan “… the ILO did not reveal use of forced child labor on a systematic basis in the cotton harvest in the country.” This conclusion was announced during a special seminar with a high “international” status organized by the Uzbek authorities in Tashkent for this purpose.
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Uzbekistan.
Description of the situation:
The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the ongoing arbitrary detention of and a new sentence of three years in a penal colony against Mr. Ganikhon Mamatkhanov, regional representative of the International Society for Protection of Human Rights in the Ferghana region of Uzbekistan.
Press Releases
2005 Andijan Massacre: A Survivor Appeals for Justice
May 12, 2014 Open Society Justice Initiative
NEW YORK—The Uzbek government is being called to account before the United Nations Human Rights Committee (HRC) over its record of repression in the eastern city of Andijan, the scene of a massacre of unarmed protestors in 2005 that left hundreds dead.
Last Updated: May 12, 2014
UN Human Rights Committee
Survivor of the 2005 Andijan massacre demands accountability
Husanboy Ruziyev, a survivor of the May 2005 massacre in Andijan, Uzbekistan, is filing a petition before the UN Human Rights Committee accusing the Uzbek police and security services of subjecting him to torture and illegal detention in 2003 and 2004, violating his right to life through the indiscriminate use of force, and of failing to investigate and prosecute the persons responsible for the massacre and torture.
