Prominent Uzbek writer Nurullo Otakhonov (pseudonym Nurullo Muhammad Raufhon), who was arrested on September 27 after arriving from Turkey, was released on Sunday. The writer’s son Fayzullahon Otakhonov also confirmed this information on his Facebook page.
On May 11, a criminal case was initiated against Nurullo Otakhonov under Article 159 [Encroachment on the Constitutional Order of the Republic of Uzbekistan], Doniyor Tashkhodzhaev said. - Following investigations he was charged in absentia under Article 159 part 1, Art. 244-1, part 3, clause "d" (producing, storage, distribution or demonstration of materials, constituting a threat to public security and order) of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan.
As the Tashkent Police Department noted, the investigation on the criminal case is now ongoing. The news of the writer's detention caused an enormous public response, with about 1000 people signing an online petition and a number of poets and writers rallying around the writer appealing for his release.
