The United States welcomes the release on May 7 of journalist Bobomurad Abdullaev, ending a seven-month legal fight. We applaud court officials for a trial that was substantially open and transparent and complied with Uzbekistan’s judicial procedures. The court’s decision also noted “numerous procedural violations” on the part of case investigators. The United States urges the Government of Uzbekistan to investigate these violations and take appropriate action to ensure such incidents do not occur again in the future. This ruling, to include the acquittal of all co-defendants in the trail, reaffirms the importance of free speech for a democratic society.
