Andijan

Andijan ( Andijon in Uzbek, also Andizhan, Andizan) is the fourth plus big city of Ouzbékistan, and the capital of the Andijon Viloyati (province of Andijon). It is located at the east of the country, in the Vallée of Ferghana, close to the border with the Kyrgyzstan. Its population is estimated at 350.000 inhabitants.

History

Andijan was a big step on the Silk route, being roughly halfway between Kashgar and Khodjend.

The city is also known like the birthplace of Zahiruddin Bâbur, the founder of the dynasty moghole in India, in 1483.

The repression of Andijan in 2005

Friday May 13rd 2005, several men take by storm a prison with Andijan to release several hundreds of people including 23 business men, shown islamist Terrorisme . They take then by storm the Mairie and establish a platform where several inhabitants speak and criticize the pressures exerted by the government and the security service. To repress the insurrection, the authorities send the army, which opens fire on a peace march. This version is challenged by the authorities, which see an attempt at destabilization there, and which declare that no civilian not armed was touched.

The version could not be confirmed, because the journalists and governmental organizations (ONG) are driven out and prohibited of entry in the city, but some photographs escape from the beginning of the insurrection and repression. Thursday May 19th, one week later, unquestionable ONG like the International committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), make state of 500 with: 1000 died, whereas the Uzbek government recognizes only 187 of them.

The May 19th, the United States, following the international pressure which weighs on the country, starts to take their distances from with the government.

The September 20th 2005 opens the lawsuit of the repression of Andijan, 15 supposed leaders are judged as terrorists. The lawyers of the defendants were appointed by the State. Pointing out the Soviet lawsuits of the time of Stalin, in particular the Lawsuit of Moscow, the defendants declared themselves that they were guilty, a defendant even declared: " We deserve to be killed twice, but we ask despite everything forgiveness ". The 300 witnesses are under good guard of the security services and cannot be approximate.

In the night of Monday 2 at Tuesday October 3rd 2005, the European Union (EU) issued a Embargo on exports of weapons against Ouzbékistan, because of the refusal of Tachkent to accept an international survey independent on repression of Andijan of the last May 12th and 13rd.

The November 14th, the verdict concerning the 15 marked ones is marked and of the sorrows going from 14 to 20 years are marked. Following this verdict, the EU prohibited to stay on her ground for one one year duration several Uzbek high ranking officials, of which Defense and Ministers of Interior Department, which are shown to be " directly responsible " repression of Andijan.

During the reading of the verdict, the Court has defendant certain western journalists, belonging in particular to CNN and of the Associated Press (AP), to carry out a media plot against Ouzbékistan.

Several observers and ONG, whose Human Rights Watch, reiterated their charges of parody of justice and use of torture to extort consents from the defendants.

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