U.S. Embassy Statement on Recent Releases of Prisoners of Conscience

The U.S. Embassy welcomes the recent releases of long-held prisoners of conscience Muhammad Bejanov, Isroljon Holdarov and Yusuf Ruzimurodov, who are free thanks to important government policy shifts in #Uzbekistan. We wish all the recently-freed prisoners full justice, restored health and renewed vigor. We urge the government to continue the releases and once free, we hope freed individuals will receive the dignity, authorizations and documents that will make their new status complete and permanent. Most of all we hope reforms will continue so that the practice of holding political prisoners will soon be a part of Uzbekistan’s past.