Saidzhakhon Zainabitdinov - Uzbekistan

Saidzhakhon Zainabitdinov is believed to be at risk of torture or other ill-treatment. His arrest is apparently linked to his role in monitoring demonstrations in Andizhan, which escalated on 12-13 May 2005 when government troops reportedly fired on thousands of mainly unarmed and peaceful demonstrators. The sentencing of Saidzhakhon Zainabitdonov appears to confirm fears that human rights defenders who tried to publicise the apparent indiscriminate and excessive use of force by government troops in Andizhan are being victimised by the Uzbekistani authorities.

Saidzhakhon Zainabitdinov attended the trial of 23 local entrepreneurs charged in connection with their alleged involvement with an organisation by the name of Akramia, and acted as a representative for one of the accused men. It appears it was this ongoing trial which prompted the demonstrations in Andizhan.

The Uzbekistani authorities accused members and supporters of Akramia of attempting to organise protests with a view to establishing an Islamic state in Uzbekistan. They linked the movement to the banned Hizb-ut-Tahrir opposition party, which they categorise as a 'terrorist' organisation. The 23 men have denied being linked to banned Islamic groups.

Saidzhakhon Zainabitdinov was present in Andizhan on 13 May and gave the international media an account of the events, contrasting the official version. After his arrest on 21 May he was initially held in police custody in the Andizhan Regional Department of Internal Affairs. His lawyer last saw him there in mid July, but since then Saidzhakhon Zainabitdinov has reportedly been transferred to Tashkent. His family and lawyer have been unable to obtain information as to his whereabouts. Saidzhakhon Zainabitdinov was allowed to call his family on 29 and 30 May 2005. He confirmed that he had been charged with 'slander', with a possible three-year prison sentence, relating to an open letter about the trial of the 23 entrepreneurs published on the internet. In July he was also charged with 'terrorism', a capital offence, and 'spreading information with the aim of causing panic'.

Saidzhakhon Zainabitdinov was held incommunicado until his trial. A closed hearing on his case, at which his relatives and lawyer hired by his family were not present, reportedly began in Tashkent on 4 January, with a seven year sentence being passed the following day. Saidzhakhon Zainabitdinov's 75-year-old mother was told that she could attend the hearing, but was unable to do so as she was not told where it would take place. Saidzhakhon Zainabitdinov was convicted of several charges, including "slander" and "spreading information with the aim of causing panic". The court verdict and sentence were not officially disclosed until February 2006.

Saidzhakhon Zainabitdinov is believed to be at risk of torture or other ill-treatment. His arrest is apparently linked to his role in monitoring demonstrations in Andizhan, which escalated on 12-13 May 2005 when government troops reportedly fired on thousands of mainly unarmed and peaceful demonstrators. The sentencing of Saidzhakhon Zainabitdonov appears to confirm fears that human rights defenders who tried to publicise the apparent indiscriminate and excessive use of force by government troops in Andizhan are being victimised by the Uzbekistani authorities.

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