Uznews.net – Reports coming out from Osh say that well-known Kyrgyz independent journalist, publisher of the Uzbek-language newspaper Siyesat (Politics) and Uznews.net correspondent Alisher Saipov was shot dead in Osh this afternoon.

The Osh law-enforcement agencies have confirmed reports about the death of Alisher Saipov, but they have so far refused to make any comments on this appalling crime.

Sources in the Osh police department said that Alisher Saipov was shot dead near the Radio Liberty bureau in the afternoon at around 1900 local time.

Despite the fact that he was born and lived in southern Kyrgyzstan, Alisher Saipov, 26, linked his professional career largely to problems of neighbouring Uzbekistan.

As an ethnic Uzbek, he was seriously concerned about the fate of his second homeland and tried to help democracy and common sense win there. He also wanted Uzbeks to live good and decent lives, like people in developed countries.

Alisher was the editor of the Uzbek-language Siyesat (Politics) newspaper which was published and distributed in southern Kyrgyzstan among people who went to trade there from Uzbekistan’s Fergana valley and other regions.

He used to work for the ferghana.ru website and had been cooperating with Uznews.net in recent months.

Alisher’s colleagues are in terrible shock of his death and cannot comment on the tragedy.

It is hard to believe in such cruelty and injustice. Alisher fathered a daughter two months ago and was extremely happy about her. He had to live…