Senior U.S. State Department official urges more progress on human rights in Uzbekistan


Associated Press
June 7

Uhe U.S. assistant secretary of state for democracy and human rights acknowledged Friday that some moves had been observed in recent months in Uzbekistan toward democracy and improving the country's human rights record, but urged more progress.

Lorne Craner told reporters after a day of talks with Uzbek officials in the capital Tashkent that the U.S. State Department was pleased with the Uzbek authorities' granting the International Committee of the Red Cross access to prisons, registering an independent human rights group and abolishing censorship in recent months.

He also welcomed the recent groundbreaking convictions of several police and security officers in two separate cases for murdering two detainees while interrogating them.

"I made it clear that on particular issues and in general ... we are looking for continued progress on human rights and democracy," Craner said.

Uzbekistan's government has long been criticized by international human rights groups and Western governments for its undemocratic practices in dealing with dissent. The political opposition has been exiled and the Islamic opposition is strongly persecuted.

Last fall, when Uzbekistan welcomed U.S. troops to an air base for the military campaign in neighboring Afghanistan, human rights groups expressed concern Washington would soften its stance on the Central Asian country's human rights record.

Earlier this year, the U.S. State Department's annual report on human rights criticized widespread human rights violations and the lack of civil freedoms in Uzbekistan.

Craner discussed issues of human rights, freedom of speech and civil society with Uzbek Prime Minister Otkir Sultanov, Interior Minister Zokirjon Almatov, Justice Minister Abdusamad Polvon-Zoda and also with the country's top prosecutor and state adviser for law-enforcement agencies.

Craner said both countries were interested in a long-term relationship going beyond security issues.

"Both sides understand that if there is going to be a full relationship then ... both economic and political reforms need to be addressed," he said.

Uzbek President Islam Karimov visited Washington in March where he pledged democratic and economic reforms.