Asylum-seekers to face Uzbek terror charges

Russian prosecutors said they approved the extradition of 13 asylum-seekers to Uzbekistan, where they face charges of terrorism and extremism.

Authorities there say the men were involved in last year's Andijan uprising, labelled an Islamist revolt. The ruling came after Uzbek authorities gave guarantees that the men, mainly ethnic Uzbeks, would not be tortured or sentenced to death if found guilty.

The United Nations says it is “extremely concerned” about the fate of suspects in the Central Asian republic. Human rights groups and witnesses say hundreds died when government troops fired on protesters in Andijan last May. The version from Tashkent, the capital, is that fewer than 200 people died.