Uzbek political immigrant Ruslan Sharipov encountered difficulties with obtaining the documents that confirm legitimacy of his presence on the territory of the United States. The dissenter and refugee, Sharipov fears that the US authorities may decide to deport him in the middle of November. Ardent critic of the authorities for human rights abuses, journalist Sharipov was tried for homosexuality in 2003 and sentenced to four years imprisonment. Sharipov kept writing articles even in jail and smuggling them outside, and Tashkent's patience finally ran out. Sharipov was released from jail after twelve months only. On October 21, 2004, he was already in the United States - as a legitimate refugee with the Red Cross passport.

Sharipov could barely make ends meet in the United States. A year after his arrival, he lost the work permit and social benefits.

On November 13, 2006, Sharipov is expected for an interview at the office of the US Immigration Service. He is supposed to bring with him copies of court verdicts with the verified translation into English. Unfortunately, it never occurred to Sharipov to take the documents with him when he was departing Uzbekistan.

The journalist announced on October 21 that unless he presented the required documents, the US authorities might order him deported back to Uzbekistan.

From Ferghana.Ru folders:

Ruslan Sharipov: honorary member of several PEN-Centers, owner of the Golden Pen Award'2004 and Freedom to Wrote Award'2004, owner of awards and grants issued by Human Rights Watch and IWPR with CPJ.