Daily archives: February 20, 2010

Murder in Samarkand

 in The Book by | View Comments

If you missed the broadcast of David Tennant in David Hare’s adaptation of Murder in Samarkand, or if you just want to hear it again, it is available for the next seven days here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00qs5x7

You can buy the book, and my second book, via the links in the top left hand corner. I should frankly be grateful if you would!

Thank you so many kind comments. I thought the production was brilliant and the performances extremely moving. I found the emotional callouses hadn’t stemmed the tears, and so did Nadira. Mind you I confess I was dead chuffed when the very first person to phone congratulations as the credits were being read was Bianca Jagger.

I have to lead the rest of my life meeting people who will be disappointed because of their mental picture of me as David Tennant. 🙂

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Umida Akhmedova Jailed

 in Uzbekistan by | View Comments

akhmedova2.jpg

This photo evokes so much of what I love about Uzbekistan and its people. Unfortunately it is not the officially approved image of Gulnara Karimova’s shiny new conference centres and resorts. The photographer, Umida Akhmedova, has therefore been charged with “Defaming Uzbekistan”. It carries a potential 6 year prison sentence.

The offence cited is publishing these photographs,

http://www.fergana.info/details.php?image_id=1220

and making a short documentary film critical of the traditional custom that girls have to prove their virginity on their wedding day.

I am particularly touched by Umida’s plight, because it was on precisely the same charge that the 63 year old Mrs Avazova was jailed after passing to me photographs of her dissident son, who had been boiled alive in Jaslyk prison.

To help the campaign for Umida and other political prisoners in Uzbekistan, please contact Amnesty International.

http://www.amnesty.org.uk/index.asp

Obama’s envoy Richard Holbrooke is currently visiting Tashkent to agree new military cooperation agreements between the Karimov regime and the USA.

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David Hare and David Tennant “Murder in Samarkand” Broadcasts Today

 in The Book by | View Comments

This is the big day, and I confess to being much too excited about it for a person of my advanced years.

Murder in Samarkand broadcasts today on BBC Radio 4 at 2.30pm.

It has been adapted as a radio drama by David Hare, and I am played by David Tennant.

Do spread the word, and do leave me some feedback when you have herard it. And do buy the book!

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