PETITION FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF BBC JOURNALIST URINBOY USMONOV

We, the undersigned journalists and members of public, condemn the detention of the BBC journalist Urinboy Usmonov, and call upon the authorities of Tajikistan to grant his immediate and unconditional release from custody.

Usmonov has worked as a local stringer for BBCs Central Asian Service for more then ten years. He was reported missing by his family and friends on June 13, 2011; soon thereafter he appeared at his home accompanied by eight state security officers, who conducted a search of his home. Usmonov has been accused by the Tajik authorities of having links with the banned Islamic organization, Hizb-ut-Tahrir.

During his career as a professional BBC journalist, Urinboy Usmonov has reported on number of sensitive issues in Tajikistan, including on Hizb-ut-Tahrir. He is not and has never been a member of this organization or had any affiliation with it.

We are appalled by the fact that Usmonov has now been detained for four days without any formal charges being put forward against him. He has been denied access to legal representation and to his family. Usmonov has diabetes and suffers from a heart condition, and apart from calling for his immediate release, we call upon the Tajik authorities to allow him access to medical care as an urgent matter.

We are particularly concerned about clear signs of beatings and ill treatment of Usmonov during his time in custody that were observed by his family members when he was brought to his home for the security search. We demand an end to this inhumane treatment towards Usmonov, and further demand an investigation into the misconduct of the officers responsible, with punishment for those implicated in these apparent beatings.

We consider the detention of Urinboy Usmonov to be a very serious attack against the free press in Tajikistan, and we call upon the President of Tajikistan, Emomalii Rahmon; the Minister of Internal Affairs, Abdurahim Kakharov; and the Chairman of the State Committee on National Security, Saymumin Yatimov, to facilitate immediate release of Urinboy Usmonov from custody.