CCPR/C/114/D/2234/2013 that rendered the judgement against the author. This does not constitute a higher tribunal as stipulated in article 14 (5). The author’s requests for review and appeal to the Supreme Court were denied. 3.6 The author claims that her arrest on 7 October 2005 by over thirty heavily armed law enforcement officers and the raid of her apartment and offices in her absence breached article 17 (1) of the Covenant. 3.7 The author submits that, when she was attacked while holding pickets in May and August 2003, the authorities failed to adequately investigate the attacks and, on both occasions, she was charged for holding an unlawful demonstration. Even though these charges were eventually dropped, the attacks, the failure to hold the perpetrators responsible and the prosecutions of the author were carried out on account of her human rights activities, and as such constituted an interference with her right to freedom of expression and opinion that were not justified by any of the exceptions provided for in article 19 (3) (a) and (b). The author was also detained, charged, indicted and later convicted and imprisoned for allegedly distributing propaganda material, threatening the public order and establishing an unregistered public organization. 3.8 The law enforcement authorities charged her with organizing unlawful demonstrations with regard to the pickets held in May and August 2003. These restrictions on her freedom of assembly are not justified, as they were neither in the interest of national security or public safety, nor necessary for the protection of public health, morals or rights and freedoms of others. The measures are also disproportionate in violation of article 21 of the Covenant. 3.9 The author was detained, charged, indicted, convicted and imprisoned for having established an unregistered public organization. The severe restriction on her freedom of association did not meet any of the criteria listed in article 22 (2) of the Covenant. 3.10 The author submits that the gang rape committed against her on 15 April 2005 at Bektemir District Department of Internal Affairs, as well as her sterilization without her consent constitute violations of article 26, as they amount to discrimination on the basis of her sex. The author submits that, by arbitrarily and unlawfully arresting, detaining, prosecuting and convicting her on account of her human rights activities, the State party also violated her rights under article 26, which protects against discrimination on grounds of political or other opinion. State party’s observations on the merits 4.1 On 4 July 2014, the State party submits that the author’s complaint had been reviewed by the competent authorities in Uzbekistan, who concluded that her allegations were invented and biased. Its verification established that between 2002 and October 2005 no criminal investigations were initiated against the author and the Ferghana Regional Court did not hear any administrative affairs against her. 4.2 The State party submits that, on 6 October 2005, the author was arrested by officers of the Ferghana Regional Procurator’s Office when she was being given money by a certain Mr. M. On 7 October 2005, a criminal investigation for extortion was initiated and, on 8 October 2005, extortion charges were brought against the author. She was detained on remand and, on 14 October 2005, she was placed in Ferghana Remand Centre No. 10. On 21 January 2006, the author was moved to Ferghana Remand Centre No. 1, in accordance with the decision of the Tashkent Regional Court of 18 January 2006. 4.3 In accordance with the 6 March 2006 verdict issued by the Tashkent Regional Court, which was confirmed upon appeal on 30 May 2006, the author was found guilty of 13 different charges and was convicted to eight years’ imprisonment. According to the verdict, 6