June 2008 ойлик архив
Mutabar Tadjibayeva: «I’m not going to abandon human rights activities»
In order to jail this woman, a lot of people were needed: the police, the SNB (Slujba natsional’noy bezopasnosti – National Security Service, the successor of the Soviet KGB), representatives from the Presidential administration, prosecutors and judges. During the trial sessions the entire city of Dustabad was blockaded. She was accused for violating 18 articles of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan and sentenced to eight years imprisonment.
Analysis of the relations between Uzbekistan and the Western community
Certain progress in the relations between Uzbekistan and the West has been undeniable.
This assumption is confirmed by frequent visits US and EU senior officials pay to Tashkent, the announcements of increasing Western investments in the Uzbek processing industry, and general advancement in trade and economic relations. Some politicians remain optimistic about the prospects of these relations, their optimism based upon what they see as liberalization of Tashkent’s domestic policy. Others counsel caution and suggest waiting for President Islam Karimov to keep promises regarding human rights observance and putting an end to repressions.
US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Richard Boucher knows now “where Uzbekistan is heading to”
Boucher met with President Islam Karimov, Foreign Minister Norov, and National Security Council Secretary Atayev. He visited Samarkand with its ancient monuments and talked to the student body and tutors of the Islamic University.
“Yes, I know better now where Uzbekistan is heading to,” Boucher said at the press conference on June 2.
