Human Rights Activist Arrested

Several human rights organizations are calling for justice, asking Uzbek authorities to release Uktam Pardaev, 37, a long-time activist who was arrested on November 16th.  They claim the charges, bribery and extortion. are in retaliation against Uktam’s work…

Nadejda Atayeva, who is the president of the Association for Human Rights in Central Asia said: Pardaev has long campaigned against corruption and abuse of power in a region of Uzbekistan where many are afraid to speak out. His prosecution fits a typical pattern of fabricated criminal charges brought to silence human rights defenders and should be dropped immediately.”