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