19
April
2013 writer
Mamadali
Makhmudov
was
set
free.
At 19:00
he crossed the threshold of his house; his son met him. Today he saw his five
grandchildren for the first time.
.jpg) |
| Mamadali Makhmudov, 1990 |
Writer Mamadali MAKHMUDOV (creative pen name
Evril Turon) born in 1940, citizen of Uzbekistan, former Chairman of the
Culture Foundation of Uzbekistan, leader of the “Turkestan” movement founded
upon the initiative of the Uzbek intellectuals and active from 1989 through
1993. Laureate of the international Hellman/Hammett Award for writers – victims of persecution for political views and of national
award “Cholpan” founded in commemoration of victims of Stalin’s repressions,
which he received for his historical novel “Immortal Rocks”. In 2008 French Publishing
House L’AUBE published that novel in French in Philippe Frison’s translation.
- Mamadali Makhmudov’s Case
26 February 1999 the writer was arrested. 18 August 1999 Tashkent
province court sentenced him to 14 years
of imprisonment under Articles 25-159 Part 4 of Criminal Code of the Republic of
Uzbekistan (encroachment on the constitutional order); 216 (formation of banned
public associations and religions organisations); 242 Part 1 (formation of a
criminal association). Before his transfer to the Tashkent prison he served his
sentence in the strict regime colony UYa 64/6 in
Chirchik city, Tashkent province. This is not the first conviction of the
writer upon fabricated charges.
In 1994 Mamadali Makhmudov was planted drugs and flyers of “Erk” Party
were found on him during search. Keeping flyers does not constitute a violation
of the law, but it became one of the pretexts for his criminal prosecution.
Consequently, he was held criminally liable upon groundless charges of
“embezzlement”. He was then a Chairman of the Culture Foundation of Uzbekistan.
Wide public response and international campaign in support of the writer
influenced the authorities and he was freed under an amnesty act.
16 February 2013 his prison term under the 1999 sentence ended.
8 April 2013 in the Gazalkent court of the Tashkent province a new court
hearing over the writer Mamadali Makhmudov took place. 72-year old writer was
sentenced to three years of jail under Article 221 of Criminal Code of
Uzbekistan “Disobedience of lawful demands of the administration of the
penitentiary institutions”.
At the stage of appeal against the last sentence the writer Makhmudov
was discharged from prison. Unexpectedly for everybody on 19 April 2013 at
19:00 he crossed the threshold of his home.
Association for Human Rights in Central Asia expresses
its deep heartfelt gratitude to all who contributed to the release of the
writer Mamadali Makhmudov.
