President Islam Karimov,
Office of the President,
43 Uzbekistan Avenue,
700163 Tashkent,
Uzbekistan
Letter: Your Excellency,
I am concerned following information received regarding the arrest of Uzbek human rights defender Mr Dilmurod Sayid, in Tashkent, on 22 February 2009.
Dilmurod Sayid is a member of the Tashkent regional branch of Human Rights Society “Ezgulik”. He writes as an independent journalist for the internet site “Voice of Freedom”. He has worked to defend the rights of farmers in the Samarkand region, whose lands were illegally seized by the local administration. Inquiries were opened against a certain number of civil servants after Dilmurod Sayid denounced corruption in the Djambaj district of the Samarkand region.
Late in the evening, on 22 February 2009, Mr Dilmurod Sayid was arrested by the Tashkent branch of the State Tax Committee, under orders from the General Prosecutor's Office of Uzbekistan. He has reportedly been charged with extortion. The same evening, he was brought to Samarkand where an investigation is currently being carried out.
Dilmurod Sayid had previously received threats from the local administration of the Samarkand region.
Uzbek human rights defenders consider that the arrest of Dimurod Sayid, especially given that he has been charged with extortion, may be directly related to his peaceful and legitimate work in the defence of human rights, in particular his work to expose corruption in the Samarkand region.
I urge the Uzbek authorities to:
1.Immediately and unconditionally release Dilmurod Sayid as Front Line believes that he is being held solely as a result of his legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights;
2.Carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the arrest and detention of Dilmurod Sayid;
3.Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological security and integrity of Dilmurod Sayid while in detention;
4.Guarantee in all circumstances that human rights defenders in Uzbekistan are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals, and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.
Yours sincerely
