Opposition Protest Planned for March 8

The Birdamlik opposition movement intends to stage demonstrations in nine Uzbek cities, each involving between 80 to 300 people, on March 8 to press for the release of detained human rights activists Mutabar Tajibaeva, Umida Niazova and Gulbahor Turaeva. But given that Birdamlik has announced its intentions in advance and the fact that its previous attempts to mount demonstrations have failed, analysts doubt the authorities will allow this action to go ahead.