The Kyrgyz military tribunal confirmed the death penalty...

The Kyrgyz military tribunal confirmed the death penalty handed down earlier to two guerrilla members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.
Kyrgyz government troops captured Russian citizen Ruslan Abdulin and Tajik citizen Ravshan Sharipov during an antiterrorist operation against the IMU guerrillas in southern Kyrgyzstan in August 2000.
A garrison military court in the Batken region charged the guerrillas on more than six counts in the course of proceedings that opened in May 2001. In particular, they were charged with taking American tourists hostage, engaging in terrorism and extremism, and illegally purchasing and carrying arms.
The guerrillas pleaded not guilty on all of the counts. Taking into consideration testimony produced by witnesses and other materials, the garrison court sentenced the IMU guerrillas to death. The defence then appealed against the sentence to the Kyrgyz military tribunal, which confirmed it.
The defence is now expected to lodge an appeal with the Kyrgyz Supreme Court.