Tashkent’s Mirzo Ulugbek district court has fined an Uzbek reporter for the U.S.-funded radio station Voice of America (VOA) the equivalent of about $10,000, RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service reports.

Abdumalik Boboev, a freelancer for VOA’s Uzbek Service, was found guilty of slander and distributing materials that pose a threat to public order.

The court dropped a charge against him of illegally crossing Uzbekistan’s state border.

An investigation in the case was launched in early September and sent to court soon after.

Boboev told RFE/RL before the trial that all the charges against him are baseless.

Boboev, 41, was among several journalists summoned by the Prosecutor-General’s Office last year for questioning about alleged «unaccredited» journalistic activities.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Uzbek_VOA_Freelancer_Fined/2191941.html