Sharifa Madrahimova and her damaged passport. Video stills from various sources
Uzbek human rights defender and journalist Sharifa Madrahimova says her passport was deliberately damaged just before she was set to travel abroad to receive an international human rights award. She described the incident on her Facebook page (a social network owned by Meta, designated extremist in Russia).
This year, Madrahimova was named one of five recipients of the Front Line Defenders Award. The award ceremony was held in Ireland. According to Madrahimova, she had sent her passport to Dublin to receive a visa sticker via the DHL postal service. Upon its return, she discovered the back of the passport had been burned. She believes the damage was intentional and aimed at preventing her from traveling.
“There is no way the passport could have arrived in this condition by accident—this was a deliberate act. Who did this and why remains a mystery,” she said.
The passport was returned in an envelope that appeared intact and unopened, but inside was a second envelope containing the damaged document. Madrahimova recorded a video showing the damage and sent it to Front Line Defenders, which confirmed they had returned the passport undamaged and had warned DHL of its contents.
The journalist attempted to obtain a new passport, but was unable to do so quickly. As a result, fellow rights activist Umida Niyazova, who lives in Berlin, represented her at the ceremony. Madrahimova expressed regret at missing the opportunity to personally represent Uzbekistan on the international stage and speak about the human rights situation in the country.
Sharifa Madrahimova, a native of Fergana Region, studied journalism at the National University of Uzbekistan in Tashkent. From 1999 to 2020, she worked at the newspaper Ma'rifat (“Enlightenment”), later becoming a correspondent for a local district paper. In 2023, she was dismissed after protesting against a mandatory paid subscription policy. Madrahimova uses social media for citizen journalism and advocacy, focusing on issues such as forced labor, disability rights, and government abuse. Despite improvements in press freedom in Uzbekistan, she continues to face pressure and threats.
Front Line Defenders was founded in 2001 to support human rights defenders at risk for their peaceful work. Since 2005, the organization has presented an annual award to highlight the efforts of activists working under threat. Laureates receive a modest cash prize and support in areas such as digital and physical security, advocacy, transparency, and well-being. The first Uzbek recipient of the award was Akhmadjon Madmarov from Margilan, in 2006.
