Attacks on the Press in 2010 - Committee to Protect Journalists

<strong>Attacks</strong> on the Press in 2010that the journalist had ordered her to extort US$10,000 from a localbusinessman, according to press reports and CPJ sources. Althoughthe woman later withdrew her accusation, saying she was forced tomake it, authorities did not release Saiid.In March 2009, prosecutors announced that new witnesses had comeforward to accuse Saiid of extortion, the independent news websiteFerghana reported. Prosecutors also added a forgery charge based onpurported statements from local farmers who alleged that Saiid hadused their signatures to create fraudulent court papers. According toFerghana, the farmers announced at Saiid’s trial that prosecutors hadforced them to testify against the journalist.Authorities failed to notify Saiid’s lawyer, Ruhiddin Komilov, of courthearing dates, Komilov told CPJ. In July 2009, a Tailak District Courtjudge sentenced the journalist in a closed proceeding without hisdefense lawyer, family, or the press in attendance. According to pressreports and CPJ sources, Saiid was convicted on all charges, handed a12-and-a-half-year prison term, and transferred to a strict-security penalcolony outside the city of Navoi in central Uzbekistan. The prisonis known for holding many political prisoners.Before his imprisonment, Saiid had reported on official abusesagainst farmers for the independent regional news website Voice ofFreedom as well as for a number of local newspapers. A member ofthe Tashkent-based human rights group Ezgulik, Saiid had also helpedlocal farmers defend their rights in regional courts, local sources toldCPJ.In November 2009, the journalist’s wife and 6-year-old daughterwere killed in a car accident while on their way to visit him in prison,Ferghana reported. Ezgulik appealed for Saiid’s release on humanitariangrounds, but the appeal was denied. In August, Uzbekistan’sSupreme Court denied Saiid’s appeal.Vietnam: 5imprisoned: april 19, 2008Nguyen Van Hai (Nguyen Hoang Hai), freelance406Hai was arrested and held without charge for five months, accordingto news reports. A closed court convicted him of tax evasion onSeptember 10, 2008.Hai, who also goes by the name Nguyen Hoang Hai, was an