Final countdown’s final alert
Media and Internet, Uzbekistan2 Comments
As expected, the Tashkent City Court’s decision to uphold the conviction against independent journalist Abdumalik Boboev was not a challenge for our Justice. Even a decision judges came up with 15-minutes does not seem like a huge surprise.
Voice of America’s Uzbekistan correspondent was incriminated the following charges under Uzbek Criminal Code: Slander, Insult, Illegal leaving abroad and illegal entrance to the Republic of Uzbekistan as well as Preparation and dissemination of information, Threatening the public safety and order.
In October Abdumalik had been fined several hundred minimum monthly wages, adding up to $11,000 (this is a sum that people in Uzbekistan earn in at least 3-4 years, by the way).
During the whole process that Abdumalik had been undergoing through his friends and colleagues stayed with him till the end. International campaign to stop the silly process against a talented journalist had an undoubted effect. On the governmental level, U.S. State Department decided to use its tools in helping Abdumalik out. One of the measures taken was Assistant Secretary Blake discussion of the case with the Uzbek officials while his recent visit to our country, and met Abdumalik in person.
Unfortunately, neither this high level ‘protection’ nor U.S. Government’s attempts to influence the process of suing Abdumalik and Statement on Media Freedom in Uzbekistan by its Mission to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) led by Ambassador Ian Kelly to the Permanent Council in Vienna on September 23, 2010 affected our corrupted and marionette justice system.
The same day the appeal had not been satisfied, the U.S. Embassy released the statement with a concern about the state of media freedom in Uzbekistan. It says that,
Using the criminal justice system to punish journalists for freely expressed views is contrary to Uzbekistan’s constitution and international obligations, and has a chilling effect on journalists throughout the country.
I have not talked to Abdumalik since the appeal process but hope to meet him soon with some good news. One of them could be his decision to leave the country for the sake of his family and himself. That’s not the best thing to be away from the country, its people and future development one works for but this is something vital needed to prevent a loss of a bright journalist in the cells of our penitentiary system. And City Court’s decision to uphold the conviction is the final alert.
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I feel so sad for this person, he meant doing good for his society from his civilian perspective but got this huge headache. I watched his youtube video where he says that silencing problems is the biggest threat to the society. I echo to that and just wish brave journalists of Uzbekistan to do what they do since they are sincere in there intentions. And may Allah be with you!
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