Umida Niazova on Human Rights and Civil Society in Uzbekistan

Journalist and activist Umida Niazova recently gave a lecture on human rights and civil society in Uzbekistan. 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.

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.

Listen to the talk above.