Prior to Presidential elections scheduled for 4 December 2016, the Acting President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has announced six priority areas for the country, but human rights are not amongst them.
Category Archives: Appeals
Appeal to Federica Mogherini – High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Dear Mrs. Federica Mogherini,
We are, the activists of the civil society of Uzbekistan, gladly learning that concerning your visit to the Republic of Uzbekistan on November 2017, and decided to appeal to you with an urgent request:
We kindly request to you as a high-ranking representative of the European Union, during the meeting with the President of Uzbekistan, raise the issue of releasing numerous human rights defenders, journalists, businessmen, religious figures, refugees, military personnel – people who convicted for political and religious reasons. These people were thrown into the dungeons of the political regime of the country, created by the previous President of Uzbekistan, the late Islam Karimov.
Write Letters to our Friends in Prison!
PS. In May 30, 2017, Bergül Varan who is the sister of Betül Varan, one of the vocalists of Grup Yorum which is one of the leftist music groups, members of which are frequently arrested and concerts of which are cancelled, and was taken into custody during a police raid at Idil Cultural Center in Istanbul, was tortured by her hair being torn out from their roots as it is seen in the photograph, in the action force vehicle where she was kept for two hours.
We, the women activists in Turkey, make a call to the international society to stand in solidarity with our friends in prison. Support us in our joint action by writing open letters to them.
In our letters, we are sharing our memories, stories, thoughts, and wishes about our friends who are detained or arrested, or convicted… They are women rights activists, politicians, journalists, authors, and lawyers… We marched together at every protest with our friends in prison. We organized conferences, panel discussions, festivals. We were side by side when we went to the funerals of femicide victims, when we paid our condolences to their families.
OSCE HDIM statement: Human rights in Uzbekistan after Karimov
President Karimov’s sudden death in September brought to an end his 27-year long rule which was marked by profound disregard for fundamental rights and freedoms, the brutal crushing of dissent and a justice system where torture and arbitrary detentions were the norm.
2016 World Press Freedom Index: leaders paranoid about journalists
Most of the movement in the World Press Freedom Index unveiled today by Reporters Without Borders is indicative of a climate of fear and tension combined with increasing control over newsrooms by governments and private-sector interests.
The 2016 World Press Freedom Index reflects the intensity of the attacks on journalistic freedom and independence by governments, ideologies and private-sector interests during the past year.
