The prominent Uzbek human rights activist Tolib Yoqubov, the chair of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan, returned to Uzbekistan after the 12 year-exile Thursday.
At Tashkent airport Yoqubov was met by his relatives and colleagues. Apparently he had not faced any problems upon arrival in Uzbekistan.
Yoqubov, who was forced to leave Uzbekistan in 2006 for his criticism of the regime, told he had been stripped of citizenship in 2014 but had not been aware of it for some time.
Tolib Yoqubov, who repeatedly applied to Uzbekistan's embassy in France for a visa after the death of Islam Karimov, told he had been issued a one-year Uzbek visa.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev is expected to visit France next month.
This will be Shavkat Mirziyoev's first official visit to a EU member country.
