According to the information given by RFE/RL, Ikrom Yakubov, allegedly a former Uzbek SNB (National Security Agency - former KGB) officer, who has been involved in the security agency for about 10 years, is seeking a political asylum in UK now. The main reasons that made him leave the country, as he said, were the threats to his life and the fact that he does recognize Islam Karimov as a legal president of Uzbekistan.

Besides that, he has many other claims. Nathan at Registan outlined the main arguments that were given by Ikrom Yuldashev:

- that Karimov directly ordered senior military leaders to fire on Andijon protesters in 2005, and that Uzbek troops under the command of Mahmud Khudoberdiev killed 1,500 people.

- that the Uzbek government orchestrates terrorist attacks in order to justify attacks on opponents and to win foreign support.

- that the government engineered the 2004 plane crash that killed a UN official, Richard Conroy.

- that Tohir Yo’ldosh of the IMU and Akrom Yo’ldosh of Akromiya are SNB creations. Oh, and the former Yo’ldosh killed Juma Namangani himself.

- that Mahmud Khudoberdiev is in charge of an elite guard unit that guards Karimov and his family and that said guard unit is in charge of ensuring that Gulnora takes power upon the death of her (possibly) leukemia-stricken father.

The fact that Ikrom Yakubov could make it to London is definitely very interesting. However, as Nathan and Alisher Taksanov [ru] say, none of the things he says is not new. Moreover, if you read the article closely, you can find out that there are many points that seem dubious. For instance,

- he has a 10 years experience of working for National Security Agency of Uzbekistan (he is just 27 years old)

- being just 27, he already has a rank of major of NSA of Uzbekistan. Usually, it takes a long time and lots of work to get that. Moreover, after his ‘critical reports’ he was not taken off his rank!

- according to the article, ‘in early 2002, Yakubov was promoted to head a special “information security” unit monitoring international organizations, disidents, and the media for the National Security Council’. Now question: how come an undergrad student (Yakubov was just 21 then) can become head of such unit? Usually, NSA recruits people after they a) graduate from relevant universities, b) serve in the army, c) graduate a university and get recommendations to NSA from university staff.

However, there is also another question: if his arguments are fabricated, why would he lie so about serious matters? As far as I know, one does not need that many facts to get the refugee status. The fact that you worked in the security agency and that your life was under a threat would be enough, I guess. So lets see how it ends up. I will keep posting updates on the process.

Video: Confessions of Ikrom Yakubov, a former SNB agent from Uzbekistan.

“When I worked inside the Karimov’s government, I have seen terrible things… How they were creating accusations [against] people. How they were killing, murdering simple people, simple believers of Islam. How they were creating fear among population…”