TASHKENT, Uzbekistan – According to rights group Human Rights Defenders Initiative, Uzbek dissident Yusuf Juma has been sentenced to five years forced labor for resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer (see prior Impunity Watch article here).  He was charged with the crimes in December after conducting a protest against Islam Karimov’s third bid for president.  While being held prior to trial, his family claims that he was tortured.

His son Bobur, who had also been arrested during the protest, was given a suspended sentence of three years after admitting to the charges.  A family member said that Bobur only confessed after being beaten, and after authorities told him that without his confession, his father would be sentenced to 20 years.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Uzbek poet ‘sentenced over demo’ – 15 April 2008

Impunity Watch – BRIEF: Family of Uzbek Critic Say He Is Being Tortured by Government – 12 April 2008