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192 ERIC FREEDMAN “Saipov’s murder is a brutal crime that smacks of retribution for his work,” said Holly Cartner, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “He was a courageous journalist committed to exposing human rights abuses, particularly by the Uzbek government. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.” Saipov was a regular contributor to news agencies such as Ferghana.ru, Voice of America, and RFE/RL. In May, Saipov began regularly publishing a weekly Uzbek language newspaper Siosat [Politics], devoted to covering politics, human rights, and religious persecution in both Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Saipov distributed Siosat widely in southern Kyrgyzstan, where a large number of ethnic Uzbeks live and regularly travel across the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border. Saipov was one of Central Asia’s most outspoken and active critics of the Uzbek government. He was instrumental in reporting about the immediate a ermath of the 2005 uprising and massacre in the Uzbek city of Andijan. Saipov reported on the harassment of Uzbek refugees and asylum seekers, including those who fled Andijan, by Uzbek security agents in southern Kyrgyzstan. In addition, he advocated on their behalf with human rights organizations and other groups. Over the last few months, articles disparaging Saipov have been published in pro-government news agencies in Uzbekistan. Last month an article in Press-uz. info called Saipov a “traitor’s knife in the back of Uzbekistan.” It also claimed that he supported religious extremism and terrorism. Saipov publicly criticized the Kyrgyz government for allowing the Uzbek National Security Service (SNB) to operate freely in Osh to search for Uzbek refugees and asylum-seekers and return them to Uzbekistan. The Kyrgyz government has denied these allegations . . . “The Kyrgyz government should show its commitment to freedom of speech and rule of law by not tolerating crimes like Saipov’s murder,” said Cartner. Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev said this morning that he has taken the investigation into Saipov’s murder under his personal control. Saipov faced threats and attacks in the past. In June 2006, he was badly beaten several weeks a er publishing an article in which he linked organized crime to politics in his native city of Osh. He was hospitalized for his injuries, which included a broken cheekbone. Saipov told a friend he did not know who was responsible for the attack. Saipov was also under the scrutiny of Kyrgyz security services. On several occasions, most recently in summer 2007, Kyrgyz security agents questioned Saipov about his work on undocumented migrants. They also inspected his office. THE IMPACT OF PRESS CONSTRAINTS 193 Saipov is survived by his wife and 3-month old daughter. (Human Rights Watch 2007) The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about the Kyrgyzstan authorities’ closure of the investigation into the October murder of Alisher Saipov, editor of the independent Uzbek-language weekly Siyosat (Politics). This is the second time authorities have officially closed the investigation in as many months. The Saipov family told CPJ that the local bureau of the Kyrgyz Interior Ministry’s Investigative Committee informed them on March 31 that the investigation into their son’s murder had been stopped due to “the inability to identify a suspect.” The family happened to learn about the closure of the case when they went to the police to inquire about the status of Saipov’s seized laptop. Authorities handed them a document dated March 31 that informed them about the end to the case. Kyrgyz police had opened a murder probe immediately a er the killing, and President Kurmanbek Bakiyev had personally pledged his commitment to solving the case . . . But despite a promising start, there has been no progress in the investigation, and authorities have given confusing information on the case’s status. In late January, the Saipovs told CPJ that local police had informed them the probe had been shut down because the allotted one-month investigative period had expired. The Saipovs received an official notice the same day the deadline for appealing the cessation ended. Shortly a er, a police spokesman and the interior minister offered conflicting explanations. On February 4, Kyrgyz Interior Ministry press officer Olzhobai Kazabayev told RFE/RL that the investigation into Saipov’s killing had been halted “because the two suspected individuals had not been captured” and no other evidence had emerged. A week later, the newly appointed Interior Minister Moldomusa Kongantiyev gave a different explanation at a local press conference, and told...

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