Umarov Sentanced
Politics and Society, UzbekistanNo Comment
Another Sunshine Uzbekistan opposition leader was sentenced today – this time its leader, Sanjar Umarov, for alleged economic crimes. His sentence is for 14 years, but has been reduced to just over 10 on an amnesty agreement. Another member of Sunshine Uzbekistan, Nodira Hidoyatova, was sentenced only several days ago.
Umarov founded the opposition party Sunshine Uzbekistan in March 2005, inspired by Ukraine’s revolution, on the principles of capitalism, democracy, and business reform. As a businessman himself who had started a profitable cellular company in Uzbekistan, Umarov believed himself better qualified to determine economic policy in the country, and even proposed to President Karimov a deal where the president would retain control over security forces and the army, but abdicate the rest of his powers to a newly established government.
In the months following Andijon, Umarov was one of the few openly critical voices in Uzbekistan. So vocal was he, and so bold his proposals that observers could not figure out why his dissidence was tolerated, leading some to speculate that he might even be Karimov’s unspoken successor.
As it turns out, nothing could be further from the truth. This past October he was arrested, and some reports allege that he was drugged immediately following his incarceration, and appeared incoherent, requiring medical attention. His trial began in January, and culminated in today’s sentence.
Karimov is managing to quash opposition forces rather effectively. While revolution and change had been in the air in May of last year, now the government seems to be tightening its grip. Some, however, argue that this will only make the government more unstable, and displays its weakness, not its strength. The short-term future, however, looks bleak.
RSS Feeds
Podcasts
Recent Comments