A well-known Uzbek journalist Abdukarim Mirzayev, who is studying in Turkey, has been detained for almost a month. He was arrested in Istanbul on the night of December 11 suspected of having links to “people under suspicion”.
According to the latest information, the allegations against the journalist have not been confirmed. Nevertheless, the decision to deport him remains unresolved and the journalist is being held in the deportation unit.
His colleague on the “Registan” online TV channel, Tokhir Abdulloh, said six “suspects” who had contacted Abdukarim Mirzayev had been found not guilty.
“This is good news. Abdukarim was detained because of them. Insha’Allah he will now be released,” Tokhir Abdulloh said live on YouTube on January 5.
Commenting on Mirzayev’s 26-day arrest, he said that the detention of a foreign citizen as a suspect for such a period of time is not considered that long in Turkey.
“Even if a foreigner is arrested in Turkey on suspicion of a crime and the guilt is not proven, the process leading to his release will take at least 2 to 3 months or up to 6 months,” Abdulloh said.
He called on the public to remain calm and said that all necessary measures are being taken. He added that the relevant higher authorities of Uzbekistan and Turkey are aware of Abdukarim Mirzayev’s case.
“Every country has its own bureaucracy, formality, and we need to understand that,” he said.
Tokhir Abdulloh also stated that he is in contact with his colleague by phone almost every day.
“The place where Abdukarim is currently being held is not a place where criminals are kept, it has a set of necessary facilities,” he said.
The journalist’s lawyer speaks about the details of the incident
On January 5, the channel also posted a statement of Mahmud Said Arslan (Abdukarim Mirzayev’s lawyer) on its social media pages.
According to the lawyer, on December 10, the Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office ordered a search of Abdukarim Mirzayev’s house and checked his phone. The prosecutor in charge of the investigation did not even take a statement from the suspect as no suspicious circumstances were identified.
