Political prisoner from Uzbekistan reunited with family in USA after 18 years in prison

The Uzbek journalist and former chief editor of the opposition Erk newspaper, Mohammed Bekjan, who was released from prison in Uzbekistan more than a year ago, reunited with his family in the United States after almost 18 years in prison.

Photo: ozodlik.org

Today, at the airport in the American city of Seattle, he was met by his grandchildren and daughters, whom he had not seen since his imprisonment in 1999, writes “Radio Liberty«.

An 64-year-old journalist, whom many call a political prisoner, came out of prison in February 2017, and the Uzbek authorities later granted him an exit visa. Earlier, Bekjan told Ozodlik that his departure would be temporary, and ruled out the possibility of seeking asylum in the United States, where most of his family members live.

According to Reporters Without Borders, Bekjan’s prison sentence is among the longest-serving journalists appointed in the world.

Prior to his departure abroad in 1994, Bekzhan worked as chief editor of the opposition newspaper Erk (Svoboda). The newspaper was published by the Erk opposition party, headed by Bekzhan’s brother Muhammad Salih. In 1993, Salih left Uzbekistan for Azerbaijan and later settled in Turkey.

In 1999, Bekzhan was abducted in Kiev and taken to Tashkent, where he was convicted in the case of the alleged assassination attempt on the President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov. Bekjan was sentenced to 15 years in prison. This period was later reduced by three years. Bekzhan denied the charges against him, calling them politically motivated.

In the 2011 year, several months before the expiration of his prison sentence, he was added five years on charges of alleged violation of the prison regime. His relatives later expressed fears that he would be renewed again.

With the advent of the presidency after the death of Karimov Shavkat Mirziyayev in Uzbekistan, some political prisoners were released. Experts link this with Mirziyayev’s desire to make the most populous Central Asian country more open and move away from the repressive policies of the former leader, attract foreign investment and improve the economic situation.

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