Dissent squelched
The week's news at a glance.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Uzbek authorities this week jailed an opposition leader and a human-rights activist in a continuation of a wholesale crackdown on dissent. Sandjar Umarov, head of the opposition party Sunshine Uzbekistan, was given nearly 11 years in prison for operating a “criminal group.” Umarov has been a vocal critic of last May’s massacre in Andijan, when government troops systematically killed hundreds of protesters. Human-rights activist Mukhtabar Tojibayeva was sentenced to eight years for vaguely defined economic crimes. “This is a puppet show,” she shouted to the judge as she was led away, “and a tragedy.” Since the Andijan uprising, Uzbekistan has jailed nearly 200 people and booted numerous foreign charities out of the country.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Critics’ choice: Restaurants worthy of their buzz
feature A fun bistro, a reservation worth the wait, and a modern twist on Mexican dishes
By The Week US Published
-
Film reviews: Snow White, Death of a Unicorn, and The Alto Knights
Feature A makeover for Disney’s first animated feature, greedy humans earn nature’s wrath, and a feud between crime bosses rattles the mob
By The Week US Published
-
Bombs or talks: What’s next in the US-Iran showdown?
Talking Points US gives Tehran a two-month deadline to deal
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published