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Arrested Greek Citizen Denies Karimova's Uzbek Torture Claim


A former associate of the Uzbek president's eldest daughter, Gulnara Karimova, has reportedly denied her claims that he was tortured while in custody.

Janis Galanos, a 31-year-old Greek national, was detained in Uzbekistan on embezzlement charges last month in the wake of investigations launched against Karimova's business associates.

Karimova wrote on Twitter last week that Uzbek investigators had tortured Galanos.

Representatives of the Ezgulik (Compassion) human rights center in Tashkent, who were allowed to meet Galanos in his detention center, have distributed a video in which Galanos denies the torture claims.

Vasila Inoyatova of Ezgulik told RFE/RL on December 5 that the meeting with Galanos had been arranged by Uzbekistan's National Security Service.

Karimova announced earlier on Twitter that many of her associates had been arrested and her media holding company was being investigated for bribe-taking.

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

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