Imprisoned Uzbek journalist Ruslan Sharipov has received the 2004 Golden Pen of Freedom award from the Paris-based World Association of Newspapers (WAN) for his promotion of press freedom in the face of physical attacks, torture, and constant harassment. The award is to be presented at the World Newspaper Congress in Istanbul in May 2004. In its citation, WAN\'s board said that Sharipov has faced unspeakable hardships because he refused to stop criticizing the Uzbek government in his writings or end his human rights work. Sharipov was sentenced to five years in prison in August on charges of homosexuality and corruption of minors. The latter charge was later dropped and his sentence was reduced to four years; human rights activists inside Uzbekistan and in the international human rights community are demanding Sharipov\'s release, saying that the real reason for his arrest was his critical journalism. (RFE/RL)