VOA reporter charged with slander and insult released in Uzbekistan

[News_Editor]

VOA reporter charged with slander and insult released in Uzbekistan

2010-10-16 09:46:40 GMT+7 (ICT)

UZBEKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- A Voice of America (VOA) reporter on Friday was convicted on charges of slander, insult and endangering public security and was released shortly after paying a $10,000 fine, the publication reported.

Abdulmalik Bobaev was cleared of a charge of illegal border crossing which could have sent him up to eight years in jail. However, the court did convict him on charges of slander, insult and endangering public security.

The reporter is still considering filing an appeal, however, because he was charged with a crime while performing his job as a journalist.

"We are relieved that the court has released journalist Abdumalik Boboyev without a prison sentence. However, the Embassy remains concerned about the implications of this case for the state of media freedom in Uzbekistan," the U.S. Embassy to Uzbekistan said in a statement.

Bobaev has worked for VOA in Uzbekistan since 2005 and has repeatedly attempted to register with the government but was ignored by Uzbek authorities. He was charged with insult and defamation for writing articles that constituted a threat to public order and national security, according to the Uzbek government.

Similar accusations were brought against journalist Vladimir Berezovsky in August who was charged with libel and insult for his articles on his website that criticized the Uzbek government. On Thursday, Human Rights Watch urged authorities to reverse the conviction of Berezovsky.

In late September, the United States called upon Uzbekistan to stop the criminal prosecution of journalists based solely on their reporting. Uzbekistan is said to be one of the world's worst offenders of press freedom.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2010-10-16