Freelance journalist from Uzbekistan Solidzhon Abdurakhmanov, in prison since 2008, was awarded a Johann Philipp Palm Prize for freedom of speech and the press.

Independent information agency Uznews.net reported on 26 August that 64-year-old imprisoned journalist from Uzbekistan Solidzhon Abdurakhmanov won a 2014 Johann Philipp Palm Prize for freedom of speech and the press. The other winner of this award was Nazeeha Saeed, a journalist from Bahrain.

“Solidzhon Abdurakhmanov is a brave critic and journalist unjustly sentenced to 10 years in prison,” said the Palm-Foundation. “He made reports about consequences of the Aral Sea desiccation.”

Today, founder and head of “Fiery Hearts Club” International Human Rights Organizationand “Jarayon” web-site, prominent Uzbek human rights activist turns 52!

In this regard, “Jarayon” team, friends, colleagues and all those, whom she has been providing free legal and humane assistance for many years, congratulate her on her birthday.

Dear Mutabar, we very much hope that the Almighty will give you a long and happy life!

According to relatives of Uzbek refugee Mirsobir Khamidkariev, who was kidnapped in the center of Moscow in early June 2014, Uzbek interrogators forced him to refuse services of the lawyer they hired for him.

Marguba Khamidkarieva, the mother of Uzbek businessman Mirsobir Khamidkariev, told “Jarayon” in mid-August 2014 that her son, who is currently under investigations in Tashkent, refused services of the lawyer his family hired to protect him.

The Uzbek authorities have extended the jail term for convicted journalist Yusuf Ruzimurodov for three years more.

Uzbek oppositionist Dilorom Iskhakova told “Jarayon” about that.

According to her, in May 2014 54-year-old Uzbek journalist Yusuf Ruzimurodov was supposed to be released, but at the end of his prison term, the administration of colony UA 64/3 located in Tavaksai district of Tashkent province, charged him with “violation of the internal prison rules”.

According to the Criminal Executive Code and the Uzbek Senate’s“Amnesty” Decree, Bobomurod Razzokov, the chairman of the Bukhara regional branch of ‘Ezgulik’Uzbek Human Rights Society,an inmate of Prison 64/3 in Tavaksai district of Tashkent province, should have been transferred from prison to colony on 12 July, 2014.

The human rights activist, who has served a quarter of his punishmentterm, had had the fully right to it; moreover, “Amnesty” Decree does not stipulate anything to prevent his transfer to colony.

According to the Criminal Executive Code and the Uzbek Senate’s“Amnesty” Decree, Bobomurod Razzokov, the chairman of the Bukhara regional branch of ‘Ezgulik’Uzbek Human Rights Society,an inmate of Prison 64/3 in Tavaksai district of Tashkent province, should have been transferred from prison to colony on 12 July, 2014.

The human rights activist, who has served a quarter of his punishmentterm, had had the fully right to it; moreover, “Amnesty” Decree does not stipulate anything to prevent his transfer to colony.