Moʻtabar Tojiboyeva facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Moʻtabar Tojiboyeva Мўтабар Тожибоева
Tojiboyeva in 2009
Born	Moʻtabar Tojiboyeva Ibragimovna (1962-08-25) August 25, 1962 (age 62) Margilan, Fergana, USSR, USSR
Occupation	Journalist
Nationality	Uzbek
Subject	Human rights defender
Notable awards	Martin Ennals Award 2008, U.S. State Department "Women of Courage" 2009

Moʻtabar Tojiboyeva is an Uzbek journalist and a brave person who works to protect human rights. She was born on August 25, 1962. She started an organization called the "Fiery Hearts Club" to help people. She also checked if human rights were being followed and investigated important issues as a journalist.

Tojiboyeva also created a group called the "Civil Society" movement. She was arrested on October 7, 2005, just before she was going to a big meeting in Dublin about human rights. She was accused of breaking many laws and was sentenced to 8 years in prison. This happened because she spoke out against the Uzbek government's actions during a protest in Andijan in 2005.

In 2005, a group called PeaceWomen Across the Globe nominated Tojiboyeva for the Nobel Peace Prize. She was one of 1000 women peace activists chosen.

While she was still in prison, Moʻtabar Tojiboyeva received the Martin Ennals Award on May 15, 2008. This award is given to human rights defenders. She was released from prison on July 2, 2008. Later that year, her "Fiery Hearts Club" also won the "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" Prize from France.

In March 2009, Tojiboyeva received the International Women of Courage Award from the U.S. State Department. She later returned the award because of her personal beliefs. In 2011, she was named one of the ten most important women in Central Asia. She wrote a book called "Prisoner of Torture Island" in 2011. In her book, she shares her experiences and talks about the challenges people faced in Uzbekistan.

Today, Tojiboyeva is a political refugee, meaning she had to leave her home country for safety. She lives in Île-de-France and leads the "Fiery Hearts" organization, which is based in Paris.

Her Early Life

Moʻtabar Tojiboyeva was born on August 25, 1962, in Margilan, a city in the Ferghana region. Her parents were Ibrohim Tojiboyev and Kandolathon Uljayeva. Her family had faced difficulties in the past. Her mother's father was sent away from his home during the Soviet era. These family stories helped Moʻtabar understand the importance of human rights from a young age.

Her Education

In 1969, Tojiboyeva started school in Margilan. From 1987 to 1989, she studied economics through a correspondence course and earned a diploma. At the same time, she also took journalism classes in the Fergana Region.

Her Career Journey

After finishing school in 1979, Tojiboyeva worked as a spinner for a year. In 1980, she started working at a government notary office. She then worked as an office secretary and later as an inspector at the Public Control Committee of Uzbekistan.

At the Public Control Committee, she helped people with their complaints and worked with the press. She saw how important it was for the public to be involved. She also started speaking out against officials who misused their power. This work helped her become a strong human rights activist.

After the Soviet Union ended in 1991, she worked in banking until 1997. From 1997 to 1998, she led a center for writers in Ferghana and published her first brochure, "Memory." She continued to write critical articles for the media. From 1998 to 1999, she worked for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Her Human Rights Work

In 1999, Tojiboyeva ran for a local government position. She wanted to create a law that would allow people to check if laws were being followed. Even though she didn't win, she joined the People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan to continue her work.

In January 2000, she was elected secretary of a party group in Margilan. There, she founded the "Fiery Hearts Club." This was the official start of her human rights work. With the club's help, she published a brochure called "Let Us Be Vigilant" in 2001. The club's activities were often featured in local and national news.

Facing Challenges for Her Work

Tojiboyeva often faced challenges because of her human rights work. In 2002, she looked into a case where a person named Alimuhammad Mamadaliev was harmed. She helped share this story with the public, and those responsible were punished.

Because of her work, she was sometimes stopped by police or questioned. In 2002, she was arrested and held for a short time. She was accused of not obeying police and causing trouble. However, the court later said that the police actions were wrong. These events made her and the "Fiery Hearts Club" even more determined to help people.

Speaking Out and Protesting

Tojiboyeva continued to organize peaceful protests and speak out against unfair actions. In October 2002, she organized a protest outside a court. In November 2002, she planned a bigger protest in front of the Parliament building to highlight violations of citizens' rights.

Government officials tried to stop her. She received warnings and was told to cancel the protest. When she refused, she was told that a criminal case might be started against her. She even had to hide for a short time because police were looking for her. She later agreed to meet with authorities to stop the pressure on her family.

The Andijan Events and Her Detention

In April 2005, Tojiboyeva sent a message to the President of Uzbekistan about the difficult situation in the Andijan region. She was detained by police and questioned. She was released after international groups and embassies spoke up for her.

She tried to attend a press conference about the situation, but she was stopped by police and taken away. She was questioned and treated poorly. During the events in Andijan on May 13, 2005, she was placed under house arrest with armed police watching her home. Despite this, she managed to connect international journalists with people involved in the Andijan events. She was held until May 16, 2005, and was not allowed to contact anyone.

Her Arrest and Imprisonment

On October 7, 2005, Moʻtabar Tojiboyeva was arrested by security officers. This happened just before she was supposed to speak at an international human rights conference. Her home was searched, and her belongings were taken. Documents and materials from the "Fiery Hearts Club" were also taken.

She was held in temporary detention for 10 days and then in other facilities for 4 months. She was questioned many times. During this time, she realized that she was arrested because of her human rights work, which challenged powerful officials.