Human Rights and Civil Society in Uzbekistan

The Open Society Institute presented a discussion on human rights and civil society in Uzbekistan with journalist and activist Umida Niazova.

Niazova was imprisoned by Uzbek authorities in January 2007 on charges including “smuggling of subversive literature” and “distributing materials causing public disorder.” Among these materials was a Human Rights Watch report on Uzbek troops' use of force in 2005 against protesters in the city of Andijan, which killed an estimated 500 people. Niazova is an outspoken critic of the government's handling of the Andijan protests and the subsequent crackdown on independent journalists and human rights activists. The report was discovered when officials seized Niazova's computer upon her return from a human rights conference in neighboring Kyrgyzstan.

During her career, Niazova has worked for human rights organizations including Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, and Internews. She has contributed regularly to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Ozodlik Radio in Uzbekistan.

Niazova's seven-year prison sentence was suspended after she was forced to publicly admit guilt. She was later granted amnesty under the condition that she abstains from journalism and human rights activities within Uzbekistan. Niazova is currently working as an intern for Human Rights Watch in Berlin and is being honored with the Human Rights Defender Award by Human Rights Watch.

Anthony Richter, director of the OSI Central Eurasia Project, and Rachel Denber, deputy director of the Europe and Central Asia Division at Human Rights Watch, introduced the event.