Citizens cannot exercise their right to change their government peacefully. Parliament subsequently voted to make the extension part of Karimov's first term, thus making him eligible to run again in 2000. Police and NSS forces used torture, harassment, illegal searches, and wiretaps, and arbitrarily detained or arrested opposition activists on false charges. They committed these and other abuses against both dissidents and other citizens, although reported abuses against dissidents decreased sharply. Police often beat criminal suspects, and detention can be prolonged.
Prison conditions are poor.
Although the Government says that it investigates abuses, those responsible for documented abuses rarely are punished. The judiciary does not always ensure due process and takes its direction from the executive branch. The Government severely limits freedom of speech and the press, and freedom of expression is constrained by an atmosphere of repression that makes it difficult to criticize the Government publicly. Although the Constitution expressly prohibits it, press censorship continues. The Government sharply restricts the importation of foreign print media.