OSCE media freedom representative concerned about disappearance of journalist in Uzbekistan

WARSAW, 23 September 2013 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today expressed concern about the disappearance of independent journalist Sergej Naumov in Uzbekistan.

“I am concerned that neither Naumov’s family nor his friends know where he is. I have written to the Uzbek authorities asking them to provide information on the whereabouts of Naumov and the circumstances of his disappearance“, Mijatović said.

According to media reports, on 21 September, Naumov called his colleagues to inform them that the police had detained him. Since then his whereabouts remain unknown.

Naumov, an independent journalist who writes for fergana.ru, the Institute for War and Peace Reporting and other media, has been awarded several international journalism prizes.

Mijatović is in Warsaw attending the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting.