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Participation in a non-violent campaign in support of Uzbekistan’s constitution, the 20th anniversary of which the country will mark on 8 December, has turned into large-scale persecution against members of the Birdamlik people’s movement.
Bokhodir Choriyev, the movement’s leader living in exile in the USA, said that since the launch of the Osh Mass Joy “white” campaign devoted to Constitution Day his comrades had been subject to pressure.
Authorities in regions are preventing Birdamlik members from travelling to Tashkent where a general meeting is planned in front of the Alay market in the city centre on 8 December.
The organisers plan that all participants will wear white headgears or scarves because this colour symbolises peaceful and pure intentions of the movement and will take a group photo.
No white, no photo
He said several members from Horezm Region – Valeriy Nazarov, Bahtiyer Mahmudov and others – who had bought tickets to Tashkent had been blocked in their homes over the past two days.
Activist from Namangan Region Nosir Zakir received a warning that he should not send his photo to take part in the Birdamlik competition.
He intended to send a photo of him wearing white clothes for a Birdamlik panel to choose winners and award money prizes.
On 5 December, Choriyev said, activist from Jizak Region Saida Kurbanova faced a verbal assault by unidentified people. They came to her home and started insulting her, saying that she was “nothing” and that they would get her.
Two pickets in one day
During a picket on 10 December outside the White House in Washington involving between 40 and 50 people, Choriyev said, he and his comrades want to show the US government with what “abnormal” regime in Uzbekistan it is dealing.
“Such an innocent campaign as celebrations of Constitution Day and distribution of copies of the constitution prompted such anger of authorities,” he said.
The Birdamlik leader said that the USA should stop supporting the regime of President Islam Karimov and help his movement and country with one thing – ensuring freedom of speech.
“The president should be a guarantor of the constitution but Karimov is its enemy and we now see how they are persecuting people for supporting the basic law,” Choriyev said.
The organisers said the picket outside the White House would be held between 9 and 10 o’clock in the morning, after which protesters would move to the Uzbek embassy in Washington where they would protest between 11 and 12 o’clock.
“Outside the Uzbek embassy we will demand the observance of the Uzbek constitution and we will protest against humiliation and persecution of our activists and all other citizens of Uzbekistan,” Bokhodir Choriyev said.
Uznews.net