Muhammad Bekjanov
A prominent journalist and advocate for democracy in the post-Soviet era, Bekjanov was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment in 1999 when then-president Karimov blamed explosions in Tashkent on Erk,… More
Dzamshid Karimov
Freelance journalist Karimov has twice been placed in psychiatric detention by Uzbek authorities--for 5 years in 2006 and again for 5 years in 2012. A nephew of former president… More
Mamadali Mahmudov
Mahmudov was released in 2013 after serving 14 years in prison on charges of “threats” to the president and the constitutional order. A supporter of the opposition Erk party,… More
Jorge Ramos
Journalist and author Ramos was arrested with his team after conducting an abruptly suspended interview with President Maduro of Venezuela in February 2019. They were detained by government officials,… More
Allinda Michael Ziggy Wine
Ziggy Wine was kidnapped in July 2019; his mutilated body was found one week later and he died in hospital shortly after. His family believes the state played a… More
David Mugema
Mugema, a musician and activist, was arrested on December 5, 2017 for the dissemination of his song "Wumula," seen as offensive to President Yoweri Museveni. He was released on… More
Stanislav Aseyev
Ukrainian writer Aseyev was kidnapped by pro-Russian militants in June 2017 and forced to confess to "spying." For 3 years, he had published reports on life under Russian occupation… More
Mehmet Osman Kavala
A noted philanthropist and publisher focusing on promoting intercultural understanding, Kavala was setting up a cultural center for Syrian refugees when he was detained on terrorism charges in late… More
Sevan Nişanyan
Turkish Armenian writer Sevan Nişanyan was imprisoned in 2012 for a blog entry he wrote criticizing government attempts to ban criticism of the Prophet Muhammad. However, in July 2017,… More
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