Uzbek poet, radio host and sports commentator Khayrullo Khamidov was sentenced to six years in prison on 28 May after being found guilty of belonging to a banned Islamic group. His lawyers plan to appeal the ruling to reduce his sentence. Uzbekistan has one of the highest rates of incarcerated journalists in Europe, with at least 11 currently behind bars.
Focus, partnership and joined-up advocacy in defence of human rights – the UK Foreign Office’s lost vocation, as revealed by the diplomats’ own annual report. Rohan Jayasekera comments
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An award winning Uzbek photographer sentenced to jail after a court ruled she had insulted the nation, has been released thanks to an amnesty. Umida Akhmedova said that she had done nothing wrong and will therefore appeal on the verdict. Akhmedova could have faced six months in jail or two years in a labour camp.
An oppressive new set of rules on the free expression of civil society groups will put Azerbaijan on a par with its totalitarian neighbours, says Vugar Gojayev
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