The following news story - about how an Uzbek journalist was freed after she criticized independent journalists and said she'd probably go to work for the government - brought about a question that I've often had since I had kids, and that hopefully will always remain platonic: what are your responsibilities to the world and what are those to your family? I'm sure we all believe that we must work for a better world, and the free reporting of news is an essential part of it. But what if our job, our commitment hurts those we love? Don't we have a responsibility to the children we brought to the world to be there for them, with them? Or is our actual responsibility that of being the human beings we want them to be - even if that means going to jail or dying?
Now, I'm not saying that it was these considerations that made Ms. Turaeva turn sides, I can only imagine how she was treated in prison, but these are questions I've asked myself.
I've love to hear comments on this issue.
UZBEKISTAN: Court frees jailed human rights activist after forcing her to
criticise independent journalists
IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
_________________________________________________________________
UPDATE - UZBEKISTAN
20 June 2007
Court frees jailed human rights activist after forcing her to criticise
independent journalists
SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris
**Updates IFEX alerts of 11 May and 27 April 2007**
(RSF/IFEX) - An appeal court in Andijan reduced human rights activist
Gulbahor Turaeva's sentence from six years in prison to a suspended
six-year sentence on 12 June 2007 after she promised the court to turn over
a new leaf and criticised several independent journalists by name. It was
the second time in a month that an Uzbek court has suspended an activist's
jail sentence after a public confession.
A doctor and mother of four, Turaeva had been convicted on 24 April of
defamation, distributing documents liable to disturb the peace and trying
to overthrow constitutional rule under article 159 of the Criminal Code.
"The Uzbek government has made no progress in human rights since the
Andijan massacre, despite the dialogue started with the European Union,"
Reporters Without Borders said. "It is appalling to see the authorities use
the same methods - activists being forced to confess and denounce their
colleagues in return for clemency - in the space of a few weeks. Not only
do they sentence people to long jail terms, but they then force them to
renege on their convictions and incriminate the people they worked with."
Turaeva unexpectedly said in court on 12 June: "I thank the court for its
clemency, its humanity and the respect it has shown me. I will now look for
a new job and I will probably work for the government. I promise never to
break the law again." She went on to criticise and insult several
independent journalists who fled the country after the Andijan uprising and
ensuing massacre, including Marcus Bensmann (a German national) and
journalist Galima Bukharbayeva, who was also the former director of the
Institute for War and Peace Reporting from 2000 to 2005, and Nigora
Khidoyatova, leader of the "Free Farmers" opposition party.
Bukharbayeva said the government had "once again broken" someone who was a
committed opponent. Turaeva and Bukharbayeva knew each other well and both
were in Andijan at the time of the massacre in May 2005. Bukharbayeva, who
now works for Uznews ( http://www.uznews.net ), said there were now few
independent journalists working in Uzbekistan.
Bukharbayeva said Turaeva had been a reliable, trustworthy person who was a
member of Anima-kor, an NGO that defended the rights of doctors and their
patients. She was a key witness of the Andijan massacre, helped compile a
list of the victims, and was among those capable of challenging the
government's version of what took place.
Uzbekistan has one of the most repressive regimes in central Asia.
For further information, contact Elsa Vidal at RSF, 5, rue Geoffroy Marie,
Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 67, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51,
e-mail: europe@rsf.org, Internet: http://www.rsf.org
The information contained in this update is the sole responsibility of RSF.
In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit RSF.
ake Action
http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/campaign/Khasanov/i7db8w622jj67j3?
Dadakhan Khasanov, a popular singer and political dissident in
Uzbekistan, finds himself in a position he remembers well from
Soviet days. He is on trial for having written a song.
His song urges Uzbeks and the rest of the world not to forget
the May 13, 2005 massacre of hundreds of unarmed civilians by
Uzbek government forces in Andizhan. (For more about the
Andizhan massacre, visit:
http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/ct/7p2XHqn13qJy/).
Fans of Mr. Khasanov distributed the song through underground
channels, passing cassettes secretly from hand to hand out of
fear that they would be arrested, tortured, or killed, like
dozens of others who have spoken out about Andizhan. But when a
policeman heard the song on a bus, news traveled quickly back to
headquarters, and Mr. Khasanov was arrested. The accusations
against him include insulting the president, undermining the
constitution, and disseminating illegal information.
On Monday, July 31, the first day of his trial, the courtroom
was packed with observers - including embassy representatives.
The judge adjourned the trial until this Friday stating that a
decision had to be made as to whether or not to allow such
scrutiny.
Please join us in letting the Uzbek government know that we too
are watching and hope that Mr. Khasanov is no longer persecuted
for his songs.
Click Here to Take Action:
http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/campaign/Khasanov/i7db8w622jj67j3?
--------------------------------------------------
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this
important case.
http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/join-forward.html?domain=human_rights_first&r=sp2XHqn15BM8
Don't say you haven't heard,
You well-dressed princesses.
Hey, you deaf and blind ones -
There was a massacre in Andizhan.
On the president's orders,
With Kalashnikov bullets
The people were shot at by his servants.
There was a massacre in Andizhan.
The Padishah [Shah] did not listen to the people,
He did not hear their cries of suffering,
He has not chosen the path of justice.
There was a massacre in Andizhan.
He let the armoured vehicles open crackling fire,
Killing young and old,
Shooting, shooting, shooting terribly.
There was a massacre in Andizhan.
Shooting, cutting people to ribbons,
Hunting them down in the streets,
Like dogs biting their prey.
There was a massacre in Andizhan.
Children died on the streets,
Bright red like tulips,
Shattered mothers were weeping,
There was a massacre in Andizhan.
He destroyed a local community,
Shaken like fruit from a mulberry tree,
Both men and women.
There was a massacre in Andizhan.
Women with babes in arms,
Pregnant women too,
Died begging for mercy.
There was a massacre in Andizhan.
The whole world found out
about this massacre,
Everyone was filled with anger.
There was a massacre in Andizhan.
Fatherless sons
born in the street -
That's who did the shooting.
There was a massacre in Andizhan.
The bastards who fired the shots
Are the kind who sleep with their mothers,
And are mired in their own excrement.
There was a massacre in Andizhan
We tested our ruthless leader,
And found him a terrorist.
We were filled with hatred and sorrow.
There was a massacre in Andizhan.
Uzbeks will not awaken,
Sunk in their fear,
Dictators will continue to shoot.
There was a massacre in Andizhan.
Don't say you haven't heard,
You well-dressed princesses.
Hey, you deaf and blind ones -
There was a massacre in Andizhan.