An international group of intellectuals comprising such celebrities as Andrey Bitov, Shavkhat Abdusalyamov and Andrey Babitskiy addressed Uzbekistan president Islom Karimov requesting three political prisoners - Umida Niyazova, Mutabhar Tajibayeva and Gulbhakhor Turaeva being set free.

Hereby we publish the address in full.

***

To: His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Rezidentsia prezidenta, ul. Uzbekistanskaia 43, 700163 Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Fax: + 998 71 139 53 25; presidents_office@press-service.uz

From: International group of intelligentsia,

c/o Bernhard Clasen, Ludwigstr. 14, D-41061 Moenchengladbach, Germany

T.: +49 / 2161 / 2472680; Fax: +49 / 2161 / 2472681; Bernhard@Clasen.net

Subject: Petition on release of Uzbek women-prisoners

Dear President Karimov,

We know that You personally control all state and power structures in Uzbekistan, and that Your words can determine the outcome of the decisions of the executive, legislative and judicial institutions in the country.

We therefore call on You to use Your power and sway for humanitarian purposes and order the release of Uzbek human rights defenders Umida Niyazova, Mutabar Tadjibaeva and Gulbakhor Turaeva.

Umida Niyazova is a young mother of a two-year-old child. The two other women also have children. Please do not separate children from their mothers.

In 2005, on Your initiative, a monument showing a mother and child was erected in the centre of Tashkent. With this in mind, please show consideration toward real people, citizens of Your country, and their children. We would like to draw Your attention to the following:

These women are being subjected to unlawful methods of psychological and physical pressure which contradict international norms on the treatment of prisoners.

Their relatives and defenders are facing unjustified restrictions in access to the women.

Representatives of the International Red Cross are also being denied access to them and being given non-credible excuses for these denials of access.

We call upon You to demonstrate the same sense of leniency with these women that You have shown with respect to former high-ranking government employees who have been pardoned and released from prison despite the fact of being proven guilty.

We believe that the release of these women would enhance Your international reputation. We also understand that there are critics of Your regime in Uzbekistan and that their activity may be a source of annoyance to You. But at least with respect to these three women who are mothers, we hope that Your sense of humanity will prevail.

Sincerely hoping for Your attention,

Andreï Bitov, writer; president, Russian Pen-Club; national and international awards laureate, Russia

André Glucksmann, philosopher and writer, France, http://www.geocities.com/andreglucksmannfile

Wolf Biermann, songwriter; former dissident from East Germany; winner of the German National Prize, Germany

Givi Мargilashivili, writer, Goethe Prize laureate, Germany

Jaques Gouin, Chief Director, Theatre ‘Cie les Jons Pluriels’, Le Mans, France

Deniz Kandiyoti, Editor in Chief, Central Asian Survey (Academic journal), U.K.

Ziauddin Sardar, writer, broadcaster and critic, author of more than forty books, visiting Professor of Postcolonial Studies, Department of Arts Policy and Management at City University, London, UK

François Tanguy, Chief Director, Theatre ''Radeau'', Le Mans, France

Sergey Kovalyov, President, Human Rights Institute; Co-Chair, Memorial Society; former MP; former Chair, Commission on Human Rights under auspicious of the President of the Russian Federation, Russia

Vladimir Bukovsky, former Soviet dissident, neurophysiologist, writer and publicist, co-founder of the Committee 2008, an umbrella organization of the Russian democratic opposition, U.K.

Ilya I. Levkov, political analyst; owner of the Liberty Publishing House, U.S.A., http://www.liberty-publishing.com; ilyalevkov@gmail.com

Bhavna Dave, Chair, Centre of Contemporary Central Asia and the Caucasus, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), U.K.

Caroline Campbell, film producer, Sweden

Shavkat Abdoussalamov, theatre and cinema artist, Russia

Andrei Babitsky, journalist and war correspondent, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Czechia

Elin Jonson, freelance journalist, Sweden, http://sr.se

Bernhard Сlasen, journalist, Germany

Irina Chpirko-Gouin, musician and theatre actress, France

Simona Frost, actor, theatre ‘89’, Germany

Natalya Gorbanevskaya, poet, former Soviet dissident, France

Valentin Gefter, Director General, Human Rights Institute, Russia

Per-Axel Janzon, correspondent, Swedish Television Channel, Sweden, www.svt.se

Magnus Gertten, cinematographer, cinema director and producer, Sweden

Ekkehard Maas, publicist, translator; Chairman, German-Caucasian Society, Germany

Lisa Pusey, Coordinator, The Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID), Canada

Catherine Berthillier, journalist, Société Galaxie Presse, France

Lisa Wall, journalist, Sweriges radio, Sweden

Thomas Lunderquist, journalist and producer, Sweriges radio, Sweden

Ola Wallin, owner of a publishing company Ersatz, Sweden

Marlene Lovgren, journalist and entrepreneur-designer, Sweden

Elsa Vidal, Bureau Europe & Ex-URSS, Reporters sans frontières, France

Suzana Frost, Chair, Committee of Afghan women, Germany, www.purpurzimmer.de

Irena Brezna, journalist, Switzerland