Human rights activist Gulshan Karayeva does not have a conviction as the Karshi town court dropped a criminal case against her under an amnesty declared by the Uzbek parliament's Senate.

Uznews.net has reported inaccurate information on the pardoning of the head of the Kashkadarya Region branch of the Society for Human Rights in Uzbekistan, Gulshan Karayeva.

On 13 December, the Karshi town court ruled to discontinue a criminal case opened against her under amnesty the Senate announced in connection with the 20th anniversary of Uzbekistan's constitution.

Clause 6 of the resolution on the amnesty authorised that all cases into crimes committed by women and young men under 18 should be dropped.

Uznews.net inaccurately reported that Karayeva had been found guilty and convicted and then had been amnestied.

Karayeva was charged under two articles of the Criminal Code – 139 “slander” and 140 “insulting”. A set-up argument with her neighbours was a pretext to open criminal case against her.

The activist, her relatives and colleagues were convinced that she was a victim of a campaign launched by the Uzbek authorities for her human rights activities.

The case against her was trumped up and investigators failed to prove her guilt of "slander" and "insulting", but given Uzbek judges' dependence on authorities, Karayeva might face up to three years in prison.

She suggested that the case against her had been dropped as a result of support she received from her colleagues and journalists.

Uznews.net initiated a campaign in defence of Karayeva and her family as her brother and sister-in-law also faced criminal charges.

The petition in her defence was signed by 130 people. Their act of solidarity and indifference to others' problems influenced the Uzbek authorities' decision, Gulshan Karayeva said.

Uznews.net