Former diplomat from Uzbekistan was released

Former Uzbek diplomat Qodirjon Yusupov, who had been imprisoned on charges of treason, has been released. This news was confirmed by multiple human rights organizations.

Reports indicate that Yusupov, sentenced to 5.5 years in prison, was released on June 10, 2024, after completing his full sentence.

To provide background, Qodirjon Yusupov was accused of treason and detained in January 2020. Following his imprisonment, the United Nations and several prominent international NGOs advocated for his immediate release and rehabilitation. Yusupov's arrest on December 10, 2018, marked the beginning of his sentence. From 2006 to 2009, he served as Uzbekistan's temporary representative in Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary, and as the permanent representative in Vienna to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the UN, and other international bodies. He returned to Tashkent in 2009 after his term ended.

On December 3, 2018, Yusupov fell onto the tracks at the Pushkin metro station in Tashkent, an incident his family attributed to a suicide attempt due to severe psychological distress. After being hospitalized for his injuries, Yusupov confessed to betraying Uzbekistan for foreign interests. He was arrested on December 10 and charged under Article 157, Part 1 of the Criminal Code. By December 12, he was in custody. The military court began hearing his case on June 24, 2019, with all proceedings held behind closed doors.