VOA Uzbek: Uzbekistan reports 2 inmate deaths within a week

A room is seen at Tavaksay colony, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Dec. 22, 2019. (Navbahor Imamova/VOA)

Uzbek authorities confirmed two deaths in the country’s prisons last week. Both incidents occurred in penal colonies in the Tashkent region, near the capital. One involved a 21-year-old man who, according to officials, died of a heart attack and acute pancreatitis. The other was a 41-year-old inmate who suffered fatal injuries during repair work in the prison. Uzbekistan's Chief Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into both cases.