A Uzbek politician jailed over 20 years ago on embezzlement charges that supporters say stemmed from his opposition to the late strongman Islam Karimov has been freed, a family friend told AFP on Thursday. Samandar Kukanov, now 72, was imprisoned in 1993 while serving as an MP in ex-Soviet Uzbekistan's parliament. "Yes, he is free," said photographer and filmmaker Umida Akhmedov by email after speaking to Kukanov's son Sardor.
