This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.washingtonpost.com/new-photos-show-uzbekistans-jailed-princess-allegedly-being-harassed-by-guards/2014/09/16/dd1c3ab6-615d-4e86-bc30-07d1586549f9_story.html?wprss=rss_world

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
New photos show Uzbekistan’s ‘jailed princess’ allegedly being harassed by guards New photos show Uzbekistan’s ‘jailed princess’ allegedly being harassed by guards
(about 1 hour later)
New photos that are believed to have been smuggled out of Uzbekistan appear to show Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of the country's president, who is believed to have been under house arrest since March, according to London-based spokesman Ryan Locksley. After the BBC released alleged secret recordings of Karimova that were sent abroad via USB stick about three weeks ago, Karimova's treatment by Uzbek authorities has deteriorated, according to Locksley, who says he was hired by Karimova's friends and some members of her family. New photos that are believed to have been smuggled out of Uzbekistan appear to show Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of the country's president, who has reportedly been under house arrest since March, according to London-based spokesman Ryan Locksley. After the BBC released alleged secret recordings of Karimova that were sent abroad via USB stick about three weeks ago, Karimova's treatment by Uzbek authorities has deteriorated, according to Locksley, who says he was hired by Karimova's friends and some members of her family.
Talking to The Washington Post, Locksley said that the photos of Karimova were taken recently and show the permanent guard surrounding her house 24 hours a day. Confrontations between Karimova and her guards, like the one shown on the photos, "occur all the time whenever she tries to go out the door, to get some air or to see if people are around and particularly when she is requesting extra food," Locksley, who said he was aware of her situation but has never been in direct contact with Karimova, told The Post on Tuesday.Talking to The Washington Post, Locksley said that the photos of Karimova were taken recently and show the permanent guard surrounding her house 24 hours a day. Confrontations between Karimova and her guards, like the one shown on the photos, "occur all the time whenever she tries to go out the door, to get some air or to see if people are around and particularly when she is requesting extra food," Locksley, who said he was aware of her situation but has never been in direct contact with Karimova, told The Post on Tuesday.
In the secret recordings released by the BBC, a woman believed to be Karimova says: "I'm not talking about myself now. We need medical help." She indicates that there are no answers "from no one why we're kept in the house," and she seems particularly worried about her 16-year-old daughter, Iman, who suffers from a heart condition and is under house arrest  with Gulnara Karimova.In the secret recordings released by the BBC, a woman believed to be Karimova says: "I'm not talking about myself now. We need medical help." She indicates that there are no answers "from no one why we're kept in the house," and she seems particularly worried about her 16-year-old daughter, Iman, who suffers from a heart condition and is under house arrest  with Gulnara Karimova.
On Sept. 8, the prosecutor-general of Uzbekistan announced that a case has been opened on Karimova and that she was suspected of having been part of an organized criminal group. In a response to this announcement, Locksley said Tuesday that Karimova was "held for purely political reasons", given that the presidential election campaign in Uzbekistan has just started. According to the London-based Economist, Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov considered his daughter a threat to his own popularity. “As Gulnara has repeatedly stated, she is completely innocent of the charges against her," Locksley said. "She is willing to travel to any court where the rule of law is upheld so she can clear her name."On Sept. 8, the prosecutor-general of Uzbekistan announced that a case has been opened on Karimova and that she was suspected of having been part of an organized criminal group. In a response to this announcement, Locksley said Tuesday that Karimova was "held for purely political reasons", given that the presidential election campaign in Uzbekistan has just started. According to the London-based Economist, Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov considered his daughter a threat to his own popularity. “As Gulnara has repeatedly stated, she is completely innocent of the charges against her," Locksley said. "She is willing to travel to any court where the rule of law is upheld so she can clear her name."
Two weeks ago, WorldViews detailed the complicated story of Karimova's rise and sudden fall. According to a confidential U.S. diplomatic cable from 2008 published by Wikileaks, Karimova used to be a favorite of her father and was often simply referred to as the "Uzbek princess." Another file from 2010 specifies that by then, Karimova was believed to own the largest conglomerate of Uzbekistan, which she used "in support of [her] private business interests."Two weeks ago, WorldViews detailed the complicated story of Karimova's rise and sudden fall. According to a confidential U.S. diplomatic cable from 2008 published by Wikileaks, Karimova used to be a favorite of her father and was often simply referred to as the "Uzbek princess." Another file from 2010 specifies that by then, Karimova was believed to own the largest conglomerate of Uzbekistan, which she used "in support of [her] private business interests."
After the suspicious conglomerate was abruptly shut down in 2010, Karimova moved on to become ambassador to Spain and the Uzbek representative to the United Nations in Geneva.After the suspicious conglomerate was abruptly shut down in 2010, Karimova moved on to become ambassador to Spain and the Uzbek representative to the United Nations in Geneva.
At the same time, she successfully worked on an alternative career as a singer. John Colombo, who produced one of her music videos, told the BBC that, back then, Karimova "owned the country. She was everywhere." As her alter-ego GooGoosha, she dominated Uzbek radio stations and, according to Colombo, "people seemed to love her." Meanwhile, she ignored the human rights violations of her father. Andrew Stroehlein from Human Rights Watch told the BBC that Karimova "almost certainly had top-level regime access to critical information regarding serious and systematic rights abuses in Uzbekistan."At the same time, she successfully worked on an alternative career as a singer. John Colombo, who produced one of her music videos, told the BBC that, back then, Karimova "owned the country. She was everywhere." As her alter-ego GooGoosha, she dominated Uzbek radio stations and, according to Colombo, "people seemed to love her." Meanwhile, she ignored the human rights violations of her father. Andrew Stroehlein from Human Rights Watch told the BBC that Karimova "almost certainly had top-level regime access to critical information regarding serious and systematic rights abuses in Uzbekistan."
In 2013, she was overwhelmed by a major corruption scandal in Sweden, in which journalists made public that Telecommunications giant TeliaSonera had allegedly bribed Uzbek officials to enter the country's mobile phone market. Despite denials from TeliaSonera, the path of the money was traced back by prosecutors to Karimova — a scandal in which she seems to have lost the loyalty and support of her dictatorial father.In 2013, she was overwhelmed by a major corruption scandal in Sweden, in which journalists made public that Telecommunications giant TeliaSonera had allegedly bribed Uzbek officials to enter the country's mobile phone market. Despite denials from TeliaSonera, the path of the money was traced back by prosecutors to Karimova — a scandal in which she seems to have lost the loyalty and support of her dictatorial father.