Uzbek journalist and human rights activist Ruslan Sharipov has obtained political asylum in the United States and  is now with members of his family in California.

Sharipov fled Uzbekistan on his way to a work  camp after receiving a two-year community service sentence this  past June. He had originally been given a four-year prison  sentence on appeal in September 2003. To read more about Ruslan’s  case, click here.

Ruslan Sharipov’s journalistic work in Uzbekistan focused on human rights  violations of the Uzbek government. He was a correspondent for the  Russian press agency, Prima, and president of the  Independent Journalists Association of Uzbekistan. He plans to continue his human rights activism from California.