In response to the concerns of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour for the court examinations that as though it delivered unfair and unfounded verdicts against those who took part in mass disorders in Andijan, the Prosecutor-General?s Office makes the following statement:

The preliminary investigation and court examinations of the criminal acts and other serious crimes, which caused the loss of life of civilians, have proved that the terrorist acts were committed in the city of Andijan.

The Prosecutor-General?s Office brings it to the attention of the international community that the entire course of the preliminary court examinations and the followed court hearings were carried out on the basis of the collected evidence and in strict compliance with the requirements of the Criminal Procedural Code.

Conclusions of the preliminary investigations were again confirmed on the court hearings.

In the course of questioning before the Court, defendants regretted their actions and gave confessing statements describing all stages of committed terrorist acts in details. The members of the religious extremist group ?Akromiyilar?, participants of terrorist acts, who were questioned as the witnesses, made confessing statements. Besides, the testimony of victims, their representatives, the civil plaintiffs and witnesses, as well as the reports on site examination, verification of testimony of convicts and witnesses, seized writings, photo, video and other material evidence ? all were corresponding to prove them guilty.

Moreover, the Court was shown video footage of pickets in front of the Municipal Court of Andijan and the events of 13th May. The video, which had been taken by the terrorists, was followed by comments of an expert and subtitles of conversation amongst terrorist in three languages. Besides, the Court was demonstrated the dozens of photographs of weapons, ammunition, religious extremist literature and other evidence which were seized from the terrorists and served as a proof in finding the defendants guilty.

In the course of court hearings there were demonstrated the slides of material evidence documented in Protocols of seizure, which indicated that terrorist acts had been financed by external forces and that weapons and ammunition had been purchased and delivered from abroad. Participants at court hearings witnessed and saw the specially made clothing, which was seized from I.Khodjiev at the time of interrogation. He used the clothing to sneak in 200 thousand USD. The money was given by international terrorist organization ?Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan? in order to finance the attacks in Andijan. Therefore the open court hearings found the evidences presented by the interrogation to be fully grounded.

All the measures which were undertaken by law enforcement bodies to prevent the terrorist actions were adequately justified and applied within the generally accepted norms of criminal law as ?absolute necessity? and ?absolute defence?.

Crimes of 12-13 May 2005 were committed on the territory of Uzbekistan and it is the jurisdiction of the Republic of Uzbekistan to investigate such crimes.

In accordance with the principles of international law and the Constitution of Uzbekistan, any interference into domestic affairs of a particular country, including the Republic of Uzbekistan, is considered as infringement on inviolability and territorial integrity of Uzbekistan and violation of its sovereign rights.

It should be noted that along with the Parliamentarian Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan, working group of diplomats, accredited in Uzbekistan, monitored the course of preliminary investigation. In fact, the group performed the role of international observers.

Currently, the representatives of national and international media, members of international human rights organizations and others, foreign embassies and diplomatic missions are observing upon the court hearings.

Press-service of the Prosecutor-General of Uzbekistan notes that in all cases of hearings the courts adhere to upholding international principles of justice.

Expression of concern by Louise Arbour, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, shall cast a shadow on law-protection system of Uzbekistan without any related and sufficient groundings thereby.

Prosecutor-General?s Office of the Republic of Uzbekistan