Opinion ID: 2718463
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: 1994-2003 in Uzbekistan

Text: In late 1994, Usmanov, while working for Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Public Health, gave a television interview in which he criticized the government’s healthcare programs. In January 1995, shortly after the television program aired, Usmanov was fired from his government position and summoned to a prosecutor’s office. Usmanov was interrogated for two or three hours about his political views, threatened, hit twice in the face, which resulted in a bloody mouth and chipped tooth, and accused of being an enemy of the people. Afterward, the government 1 Usmanov’s application also sought asylum based on past persecution, withholding of removal, and relief under the United Nations Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). Usmanov’s briefs filed in this Court do not challenge the denial of those claims, and thus Usmanov has abandoned them. See Cole v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 712 F.3d 517, 530 (11th Cir.), cert. denied, 134 S. Ct. 158 (2013) (explaining that to adequately raise an issue, the party must “specifically and clearly identif[y] it in its opening brief; otherwise the claim will be deemed abandoned and its merits will not be addressed” (quotation marks omitted)). 2 Case: 14-10237 Date Filed: 08/18/2014 Page: 3 of 9 prevented Usmanov from working in the medical profession. Instead, Usmanov had to work for trading and construction companies to support his family. After his interrogation, Usmanov was followed and received unannounced visits at his home by the police and “the mahalla,” which are neighborhood committees used by the Uzbek government to closely monitor and control the community. During the visits, members of the mahalla asked Usmanov questions about how he supported himself financially, but did not harm or threaten him. The visits became less frequent as time passed, occurring about once a month. The surveillance and visits continued until 2003, when Usmanov obtained an immigrant visa and left for the United States with his family.