Thomas Dine criticizes trial in Uzbekistan



"It was a kangaroo court then and it is a kangaroo court now. The decision on the appeal confirms that the current Uzbek justice system stands outside internationally accepted legal norms." Thomas Dine, head of Radio Free Europe, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines.

Thomas Dine criticizes trial in Uzbekistan

Uzbek Court Rejects Appeal of Imprisoned RFE/RL Correspondent
(Prague, Czech Republic--September 20, 2005) The Appellate Court in Namangan, Uzbekistan on September 19 rejected an appeal by imprisoned RFE/RL Uzbek Service correspondent Nosir Zokirov, who has been serving a six-month prison sentence for insulting a member of Uzbekistan's National Security Service. After appearing before the court, he was taken back to prison. The panel of appellate judges took 15 minutes to reach their decision, ignoring protests by Zokirov's defense counsel that the August 26 trial lacked legality on several counts -- including the fact that defense witnesses were not heard and Zokirov had no legal representation.

RFE/RL President Thomas A. Dine said, "It was a kangaroo court then and it is a kangaroo court now. The decision on the appeal confirms that the current Uzbek justice system stands outside internationally accepted legal norms." Dine added, "the imprisonment of Nosir Zokirov on such an absurd charge marks a new low in an intensifying campaign waged against him and other RFE/RL correspondents, as well as other international media that tried to report the truth about the Andijon massacre."

Zokirov was sentenced under Article 140 of the Uzbek criminal code, which makes it a criminal offense to insult a member of the security forces. The complaint was based on an angry phone call Zokirov made to security police in Namangan on August 6, in which Zokirov protested attempts to pressure a local poet, Khaidarali Komilov to lie about an interview he gave Zokirov that was broadcast in early August.

For the past several months, Zokirov, who has filed news reports with RFE/RL for eight years, has been targeted by local media that have published slanderous and untruthful articles about his family and lifestyle, as well as his work for RFE/RL. The campaign against Zokirov intensified after the bloody suppression of an uprising in Andijon in mid-May and after the Uzbek Service broadcast an interview by Zokirov with local poet Khaidarali Komilov, who criticized the Uzbek government's handling of the Andijon uprising. Zokirov was summoned several times to the local police station because of his reporting; at one point, service to his home and mobile phones was cut off.

Dine noted that at least eight other native Uzbek correspondents for RFE/RL's Uzbek Service have been subject to harassment by Uzbek state authorities (updated chronology available).

When this story was posted in September 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

---

Returned Volunteers respond to Hurricane Katrina First and foremost, Give. Carol Bellamy says "In situations such as this one, money is needed the most" and added that Hurricane Katrina's impact on New Orleans is comparable to last year's tsunami. Thailand RPCV Thomas Tighe's Direct Relief International has committed an initial $250,000 in cash to assist hurricane victims. Mayor Tom Murphy (RPCV Paraguay) says Pittsburgh is ready to embrace refugees from devastated areas. Mark Shriver of Save the Children says it will assist rural communities it serves in rebuilding. Brazil RPCV Robert Backus is among the first Vermont doctors to volunteer to travel to Louisiana to treat victims. Ohio Governor Bob Taft (RPCV Tanzania) says students displaced by "Katrina" can enroll in Ohio Colleges and Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle (RPCV Tunisia) is sending soldiers to help residents of Louisiana. Do you know what it means to lose New Orleans? Contact your local Red Cross to Volunteer.

---

---

Military Option sparks concerns The U.S. military, struggling to fill its voluntary ranks, is allowing recruits to meet part of their reserve military obligations after active duty by serving in the Peace Corps. Read why there is opposition to the program among RPCVs. Director Vasquez says the agency has a long history of accepting qualified applicants who are in inactive military status. John Coyne says "Not only no, but hell no!" and RPCV Chris Matthews leads the debate on "Hardball." Latest: Avi Spiegel says Peace Corps is not the place for soldiers while Coleman McCarthy says to Welcome Soldiers to the Peace Corps. RPCVs: Read our poll results.

---

Why blurring the lines puts PCVs in danger When the National Call to Service legislation was amended to include Peace Corps in December of 2002, this country had not yet invaded Iraq and was not in prolonged military engagement in the Middle East, as it is now. Read the story of how one volunteer spent three years in captivity from 1976 to 1980 as the hostage of a insurrection group in Colombia in Joanne Marie Roll's op-ed on why this legislation may put soldier/PCVs in the same kind of danger.

---

Upcoming Events: Peace Corps Fund in NYC Peace Corps Fund announces Sept 29 Fund Raiser in NYC High Atlas Foundation Hosts a Reception in NYC on Sept 15 Jody Olsen to address Maryland RPCVs at Sept 17 picnic "Artists and Patrons in Traditional African Cultures" in NY thru Sept 30 See RPCV Musical "Doing Good" in CA through Sept "Iowa in Ghana" at "The Octogan" in Ames through October 7 RPCV Film Festival in DC in October RPCV's exhibit at Museum of Man in San Diego thru May 2006

---

Top Stories: August 20, 2005 Jack Crandall writes "Memories relished by WWII Generation" Cris Groenendaal plays Phantom of Opera on Broadway 19 Aug Peace Corps Director Travels to Madagascar 19 Aug RPCV presents "Artists and Patrons in Traditional African Cultures" 19 Aug Robert Brown to head Southeast Asian Studies at UCLA 19 Aug Peter McPherson to head national university association 19 Aug Len Flier says US has lose-lose scenario in Iraq 18 Aug Ruth DeMaio sends aid to Niger 18 Aug Bob Taft pleads no contest to ethics law violation 18 Aug Antoinette Allen is Field Hockey coach at Hun School 16 Aug Tony Hall Avoids Mugabe on Zimbabwe trip 14 Aug Peace Corps Receives 2005 Medgar Evers Award 10 Aug Jeff Wray is filming "The Soul Searchers" 10 Aug 40th anniversary of Shriver's Foster Grandparent Program 9 Aug Tom Petri writes "It's not just about highways" 9 Aug Terry Dougherty brings students from Afghanistan to US 8 Aug Chris Newhall is leading volcano scientist 5 Aug Douglas Biklen appointed dean at Syracuse University 5 Aug Greg Kovalchuk and Mike Kelly Find Rare Fossil 4 Aug Edward O'Toole salvages furniture for schools in Honduras 3 Aug Gary Mount is Apple Grower Of The Year 1 Aug

---

The Peace Corps Library Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 30,000 index entries in 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related stories in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can find hundreds of stories about what RPCVs with your same interests or from your Country of Service are doing today. If you have a web site, support the "Peace Corps Library" and link to it today.

---

Friends of the Peace Corps 170,000 strong 170,000 is a very special number for the RPCV community - it's the number of Volunteers who have served in the Peace Corps since 1961. It's also a number that is very special to us because March is the first month since our founding in January, 2001 that our readership has exceeded 170,000. And while we know that not everyone who comes to this site is an RPCV, they are all "Friends of the Peace Corps." Thanks everybody for making PCOL your source of news for the Returned Volunteer community.

Read the stories and leave your comments.