DUSHANBE, May 3, 2015, Asia-Plus – Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reports a court in the northern province of Sughd on April 30 sentenced two women to prison for human trafficking and forcing women into prostitution.

Khujand City Court''s judge, Ms. Nargis Nabizoda, told reporters that two women, whose names were not disclosed, were found guilty on charges of trafficking four young women from the city to the United Arab Emirates in 2008.

After being forced into prostitution, the victims managed to escape and return to Tajikistan in 2014, where they filed lawsuits against the two women.

The two were reportedly arrested in February and went on trial last week.

A 66-year-old convicted woman was sentenced to eight years in prison while her 46-year-old associate received a 12 year sentence.

In 2014, 10 residents in Khujand received lengthy prison sentences on convictions of human trafficking and forcing victims into prostitution abroad.