Uzbekistan has begun a new series of closed trials in connection with a May uprising in Andijan that was brutally suppressed by government troops.
The Uzbek Supreme Court says 78 civilians are accused of taking part in terrorist activity, while 36 law enforcement officials are charged with failing to prevent the May 13 rebellion.
Over the past two months, Uzbek courts have sentenced 73 people to up to 22 years in jail. They were found guilty of a number of crimes, including violating the constitution, premeditated murder and terrorism.
Uzbek officials have barred human rights groups from monitoring the trials and have rejected an international probe into what happened at Andijan.
Witnesses and human rights groups say hundreds of civilians were killed by Uzbek troops. But President Islam Karimov has blamed Islamic radicals for the violence, which officials say killed 187 people.
Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.
