MAY 14, 2005
Posted: May 17, 2005
Dmitry Yasminov, Ren TV
Vikrot Muzalevsky, Ren TV
HARASSED
Uzbek authorities detained and expelled journalists covering civil unrest in the northeastern city of Andijan. Reporter Yasminov and cameraman Muzalevsky, of the Russia-based Ren TV, were detained as they were trying to enter Andijan to report for the news program, “Nedelya.” They had traveled for several hours from the capital, Tashkent, and had reached the outskirts of the city when they were stopped by local administration officials who confiscated their documents and took them to a police station.
The journalists were released after several hours but local administration officials banned them from filming in Andijan. They were escorted back to Tashkent late Saturday, according to local reports.