ТУРОНЗАМИН

Protest against Karimov’s authoritarian regime
Where: New York City , United Nations: Ralph Bunche Park , 43rd St . & 1st Ave.
When: Friday, May 11, 2007 at 12 noon
Because: Andijan Demands Justice…and Karimov Must Go!

On the two-year anniversary of the Andijan massacre in Uzbekistan , human rights activists, refugees, and journalists around the world will gather to demand justice and protest against the repressive government of Islam Karimov.
Karimov’s government is one of the world’s worst violators of human rights. For more than a decade the regime has been silencing political dissent, imprisoning independent journalists, harassing human rights activists, and torturing practicing Muslims. On May 13, 2005, the Uzbek regime massacred hundreds of its own people in Andijan, then covered up the crime and denied justice to victims. The Uzbek government also boiled to death two political prisoners, according to a forensic report commissioned by the British embassy.
Furthermore, Karimov’s last forged term as president expired earlier this year, making his presidency no longer legitimate under Uzbek law.
The purpose of the protest is threefold:
- to draw attention to the ongoing human rights catastrophe in Uzbekistan ;
- to call on the European Union to keep in place targeted sanctions and travel bans on Uzbek government officials;
- to commemorate the hundreds of victims of the Andijan massacre.
The European Union Parliament, currently chaired by Germany , is considering repealing sanctions against the Uzbek regime that were imposed after the Andijan massacre. But to date no one has been called to account for the massacre.
With this in mind, the New York City protest will begin at the United Nations and include a peaceful march to the German Mission to the United Nations.

J. Quinn Martin.