said he intended to appeal the conviction.
The authorities should "immediately release Otabek Sattoriy, not contest his appeal, and allow all journalists to work freely and without fear of reprisal," according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
Sattoriy's conviction "is a clear attempt to frighten the press away from covering sensitive issues" ahead of a presidential election in October, Gulnoza Said, CPJ's Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, said in a
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
said the "fabricated" accusations against the blogger "testify to a desire to quell local corruption scandals and intimidate critical voices."
The Paris-based group noted that since his arrest in late January, Sattoriy had been ordered to pay a fine of 9.8 million soms ($931) for "slander" and "insult" in a separate case.