Federica Mogherini urged to speak for release of Azimzhan Askarov
Eight human rights organizations sent a letter to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini calling for release of a journalist and human rights activist Azimzhan Askarov.
The letter was sent on June 11, but was made public in the run-up to the European Union-Central Asia ministerial meeting to be held in Bishkek on July 7.
In the letter, human rights defenders expressed extreme concern about the continued illegal imprisonment of Azimzhan Askarov and deterioration of his health and called on Federica Mogherini to address the Kyrgyz authorities for his immediate release and transfer to a safe third country for medical treatment.
Authorities of Kyrgyzstan sentenced Azimzhan Askarov to life imprisonment. He is accused of inciting ethnic hatred and murder of a policeman during the June 2010 events in the south of the country.
