KHUJAND, September 21, 2011, Asia-Plus — Ilhom Jamoliyon, the head of Sughd’s branch of Tajik Journalists’ Union (TJU), and the Pressa-tj correspondent Lenura Mustafayeva were questioned yesterday in the BBC correspondent’s trial in Khujand.
Asked whether they saw any signs of beating on open parts of body of Urunboy Usmonov they said they had seen nothing of that kind.
Jamoliyon, however, confirmed that he had seen certain spots above Usmonov’s eyebrow. “I thought they are just age marks,” said Jamoliyon, “I even asked Usmonov whether he underwent beatings and he said in the presence of three security officers that nothing of that kind was. However, I do not see those spots on his face today.”
Usmonov’s defense lawyers Fayznisso Vohidova and Abduqayum Yusupov noted that Lenura Mustafayeva had allegedly violated the country’s law on the press and illegally disclosed the investigation secrets.
In her article “I Communicated with Emir of Hizb ut-Tahrir” (June 18, 2011), Ms. Mustafayeva writes that several hours before the meeting with Urunboy Usmonov she was given an opportunity to meet with detained members of the Hizb ut-Tahrir party Yahyo Rahmonkhojayev, 26, and Abdunabi Abduqodirov, 46, who was the head of the Hizb ut-Tahrir cell in Sughd province.
According to the article, before the meeting, the security officers officially Abduqodirov and Rahmonkhojayev that they could refuse the interview but both Hizb ut-Tahrir activists gave a detailed account of their activities. Both of them allegedly noted that Urunboy Usmonov is member of the Hizb ut-Tahrir party.
We will recall that Sughd regional court opened the trial against Urunboy Usmonov and four suspected Hizb-ut-Tahrir members — Abdunabi Abduqodirov, Ibrohimbek Mahmoudov, Talat Mavlonov and Yahyokhon Rahmonkhojayev — at investigation isolation prison No. 2 (SIZO) in Khujand on August 16, 2011.
On August 16, Abdunabi Abduqodirov and Yahyokhon Rahmonkhojayev reportedly renounced their previous testimony but admitted their active membership in Hizb ut-Tahrir.
Urunboy Usmonov accused of associating with banned Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir denies the charges, saying any meetings he had with Hizb ut-Tahrir members were for purely journalistic purposes. The reporter said he had interviewed some members of the banned group as part of his work reporting on the region, where Hizb ut-Tahrir is active.
Usmonov”s arrest on June 13 was condemned by international media and rights advocates as a censorship attempt. The reporter”s relatives said he was beaten while in custody. Usmonov was released on bail a month after his arrest pending the trial.
