We remain seriously concerned about human rights in Uzbekistan and closely monitor the situation there, with our EU partners. On individual cases, we welcome the fact that journalist and human rights defender, Umida Niyazova, has been released, but urge the Uzbek Government to lift the conditions attached to her suspended sentence. We also welcome the fact that EU experts saw Saidajon Zainabiddinov in April, but we urge the Uzbek authorities to allow families access to imprisoned relatives eg the human rights defender, Mutabar Tojibayeva, and party leader, Sanjar Umarov. We hope that the Uzbek authorities will give a sympathetic hearing to Gulbahor Turayeva’s appeal.
On Uzbekistan’s co-operation with international organisations, we hope that the International Committee of the Red Cross will soon be able to resume visiting prisons. We regret that the Goethe Institute is now facing difficulties in Tashkent.
We welcome the start of the EU-Uzbekistan Human Rights Dialogue. On 14 May, the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council decided to keep measures against Uzbekistan under review on the basis of the criteria set out in previous Council conclusions, taking into account the actions of the Uzbek Government in the area of human rights, including the results of the human rights dialogue. The Council urged Uzbekistan to implement fully its international obligations relating to human rights, rule of law and fundamental freedoms.