Burying the Truth
Uzbekistan Rewrites the Story of the Andijan Massacre

Executive Summary

Methodology and a Note on the Use of Pseudonyms

Background

The Andijan Uprising, Protests, and Massacre
Early Post-massacre Cover-up and Intimidation of Witnesses
The Criminal Investigation into the Andijan Events
Uzbek Media Coverage of the Andijan Events

Coercive Pressure for Testimony

Detention and Abuse in Andijan
Initial Detention
Interrogations
Misdemeanor Hearings and Detention
The Pursuit of Victims and Eyewitnesses Who Fled to Kyrgyzstan
Coercive pressure on refugees’ relatives
Attempts to Remove Refugees by Force
Consequences of Return
The Drive for Extraditions of Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Deportation and “Disappearance” of Four Asylum Seekers

The Crackdown on Civil Society Following the May 13 Events

Arrest and Detention of Human Rights Defenders and Political Activists in Andijan

Arrests and threat of arrest
Detentions and harassment
Beating, detention, and harassment of journalists in Andijan

Crackdown on Civil Society in Other Regions of Uzbekistan

Incidents directly related to expression about Andijan

Suppression of freedom of assembly
Arrest, detention, and harassment of journalists

Other incidents illustrating the broader crackdown on civil society

Beatings of human rights defenders, political activists and journalists
Mass detention of activists in advance of May 30 demonstrations in Tashkent
Detention and harassment of demonstrators near Samarkand
Two extraordinary cases of detention and harassment
Vilification of human rights defenders, political activists, and journalists through public denunciations and the media
Public denunciations and hate rallies
In the media

The Foreign Policy Context

Uzbekistan Gathers Allies
No Strategy for an International Investigation

Recommendations

Acknowledgments

September 2005   Vol. 17, No. 6(D)