This is a translation of Elena’s post that was originally published here.

[inspic=33,left,fullscreen,90] Recently, Avas Saipov, father of a journalist Alisher Saipov, who was murdered on October 24, 2007, sent open letter to the presidents of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Information Agency Fergana.ru published excerpts of Avas Saipov’s letter. In his letter, Saipov senior addresses the president of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov:

When you became a leader you raised the people of Uzbekistan from the knees… History will remember your accomplishments of the first years of your presidency, but it will never forget and will evaluate your transformation into a dictator.

Murdered journalist’s father accused the president of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov in killing his son Alisher.

You had my son murdered for the Truth. You’ve also murdered Your grandson and Your whole family without even being aware of it. They will soon be told that their grandfather was a butcher.

In his letter, Avas Saipov also addresses the president of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiev. He says that seven months have passed since the murder of his son Alisher, but the investigation did not give any results yet.

When did the Osh police and secret services, not to mention the municipal administration, become headquarters of the Uzbek security structures and secret services? Why do Kyrgyz state officials work for the Republic of Uzbekistan?

Avas Saipov believes that his son had been assassinated by “Uzbek secret services acting on a direct order from Karimov”, and that the assassins had had help from the Kyrgyz Interior Ministry and National Security State Committee.

I know that it was a thoroughly planned and orchestrated assassination,” Saipov wrote. “It was ordered by President of Uzbekistan Karimov, who had help from Kyrgyz security structures and local officials. My Alisher left a family – his wife, Nazokat, and daughter, Zulaikho, who was barely two months old when he was murdered. A year or two more and Zulaikho, my granddaughter, will want to know where her father is. What am I supposed to tell her?

Avas Saipov finishes his letter questioning trust in Kyrgyz president.

Alisher was murdered for the truth. We would like You to tell us if You can be trusted, or not.

A 26 years old journalist Alisher Saipov was killed in Osh city, Kyrgyzstan, on June 24, 2007. During his short, but very active life he worked with Information Agency Fergana.ru, was a correspondent of the Uzbek service of “Voice of America� and RFE/L. Alisher Saipov was also a founder of an Uzbek newspaper Siyosat (Politics), which became popular in southern Kyrgyzstan in a short period of time after its foundation. The investigation of the crime was two times closed and reopened. The law enforcement bodies of Kyrgyzstan even published the identikits of the murderers. However, it didn’t give any results yet.