Uzbekistan: Do Something

Former British ambassador to Uzbekistan and vociferous critic of the Karimov regime Craig Murray reports on his blog that human rights activist Mutabar Tadzhibaeva has been arrested by Uzbek authorities:

Among many brave human rights activists with whom the British Embassy worked was Mutabar Tadzhibaeva. This brave lady worked continually to help victims of human rights abuse in the Ferghana Valley, despite being continually harassed by the authorities.

On 8 October Mutabar was dragged from her house at 2am in a raid by scores of armed Uzbek troops. She has not been seen since. She had been due the next morning to fly to Dublin for an international human rights conference.

Murray urges readers to write to their MP demanding that they "urgently contact FCO ministers to ensure that the British Embassy in Tashkent act immediately to determine Mutabar's whereabouts and to make plain to the Uzbek government that her ill-treatment would bring further international consequences."

I'd like to suggest at this juncture that this is a jolly good idea deserving of your support. (Those of you from foreign can adapt the above instructions as appropriate.)