Government to Pardon Thousands of Prisoners
From Times Wire Reports
Uzbekistan, long criticized by Western governments for human rights abuses, said it would offer amnesty to more than half of its prisoners, including those jailed for dissent.
The prison population is about 40,000. Human rights activists estimate the number of political prisoners at 6,400.
A decree by President Islam Karimov said the amnesty, to be granted this month, is dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Central Asian state’s constitution.
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