Uzbekistan: Free Human Rights Defender Gaybullo Jalilov and All Prisoners of Conscience

December 23, 2013

International Human Rights Committee Blog (American Bar Association)

By: Patrick Griffith

Earlier this month, on December 10, rights activists around the world celebrated International Human Rights Day, which commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Although the UDHR was passed by the UN General Assembly 65 years ago, its promise remains unfulfilled in states like Uzbekistan, where the government continues to persecute its own citizens for peacefully exercising their fundamental human rights.

http://www.freedom-now.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Letter-to-Uzbek-President-Karimov-FINAL-13.pdf

GE.13-15838

Human Rights Council

Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

Opinions adopted by the Working Group on Arbitrary
Detention at its sixty-sixth session, 29 April-3 May 2013

No. 4/2013 (Uzbekistan)

Communication addressed to the Government on 5 December 2012

Concerning Gaybullo Jalilov

The Government replied to the communication on 28 March 2013.

The State is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Nikki Sinclaire

Twenty years ago this week, Uzbekistan adopted its first constitution as an independent republic creating the legislative framework for human rights and democracy. Yet, two-decades later, the democratic government and individual liberties enshrined in the Uzbek constitution bear little resemblance to today’s autocratic government which systematically tramples on its citizens’ most fundamental rights. What is even more regrettable is the EU’s apparent failure to have any genuine impact on the improvement of the rule of law and democracy in Uzbekistan. This fact underlines the concerns expressed by many on the effectiveness of EU policy, and of the External Action Service.

For Immediate Release Uzbekistan: Free Political Prisoners on Constitution Day Use Anniversary to Advance Real Reform

(Paris, December 6, 2012) – The Uzbek government should unconditionally release all of its political prisoners on the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the country’s constitution on December 8, 2012, human rights groups said today. Freeing the country’s many political prisoners would demonstrate a genuine commitment to Uzbekistan’s much-touted reform process, the groups said.