DUSHANBE, December 1, 2011, Asia-Plus – The appeals’ commission of the Supreme Court of Tajikistan has upheld the Sughd regional court’s verdict against a BBC reporter in Sughd province.

The source in the Supreme Court told Asia-Plus today that the appeals’ commission considered the appeal and came to a conclusion that the verdict is fair.

We will recall that the Sughd regional court sentenced Urunboy Usmonov, the BBC reporter in Sughd province, to three years in prison on October 14.  The sentenced followed his conviction on the charge of failing to inform the authorities about his contacts with the banned Islamic organization, Hizb ut-Tahrir.  The reporter, however, was set free under an amnesty law.   On October 14, Urunboy Usmonov was found guilty of failing to inform the authorities about his contacts with the banned Islamic organization, Hizb ut-Tahrir.

The journalist denied the charges and appealed the verdict.

Usmonov said he was tortured during his month-long pretrial detention this summer.

The 59-year-old journalist and his employer maintain that any contact Usmonov had with Hizb ut-Tahrir was entirely for journalistic purposes.

Four other men were tried along with Usmonov in the same court in Khujand. They were found guilty of Hizb ut-Tahrir membership and were given prison sentences ranging between 20 and 22 years.