Sukhrobjon Ismoilov, the founder and director of the Expert Working Group (EWG), speaks to CIVICUS about ongoing restrictions on civil society in Uzbekistan and the need for greater international support following Uzbekistan's recent examination under the UN Universal Period Review (UPR).
Uzbekistan just underwent its examination under the UN Universal Period Review. Can you tell us about the recent threats to civil society activists in the country?
The latest instances of judicial harassment and attacks against national civil society activists in Uzbekistan demonstrate the government's readiness to silence the country's only remaining critical voices. In an attempt to suppress independent dissent, the government has resorted to a number of strong arms tactics. Human rights defenders, including independent journalists, lawyers and CSO staff continue to be prosecuted on trumped-up criminal charges. In addition, the government continues to force activists to leave the country under the threat of criminal charges and imprisonment.
Another tactic which is increasingly being employed by the government to silence independent activists is to coerce local citizens to leveled unsubstantiated criminal charges against activists. In one such case, on 27 September 2012 Karshi city police arrested Gulshan Karaeva, head of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan branch in Kashkadarya. Karaeva was taken to local police station by force on the basis of spurious accusations made by two local women who claimed that Karaeva had leveled insults against them. Three days later, on 30 September 2012 Uktam Pardaev, head of Djizakh regional branch of the Independent Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan, was kidnapped by a group of police officers in Djizakh city. To date, his whereabouts remain unknown.
How would you describe the overall operating environment for civil society? What are the main challenges faced by civil society?
The degree of persecution waged against civil society groups and human rights defenders in Uzbekistan is largely dependent on the organizations perceived loyalty to the government and its willingness to report and advocate on sensitive issues. Civil society activists critical of government policies and those who work on several "taboo issues" including human rights and terrorism, religious extremism, torture, and forced child labor are routinely subjected to a number of legal and extra-legal restrictions. Common tactics employed by the government to silence independent activists include denying state registration and legal status to civil society groups, imprisonment, physical attacks, abuse, threats, and psychological pressure, blocking of organizational websites and denial of exit visas.
Every civil society activist working in Uzbekistan is aware of the proverbial red line which he or she is expected not to cross. For example, directly following Mubarak's fall in Egypt in 2011, my organization, EWG, published a policy paper detailing the implications of events in Egypt on Uzbekistan. After releasing the publication, the security services made a number of serious threats against EWG staff, including of imprisonment, if we didn't stop our activities.
As a result of the persistent crackdown on civil of civil society in the country, the human rights community has become particularly fragmented. Due to the pervasive climate of fear, human rights groups rarely work together. On the few occasions that independent national civil society is able to coalesce behind a campaign, it is usually under the auspices and protection of an international organization.
What measures must be taken by the Uzbekistan government to create a more enabling environment for civil society in Uzbekistan in line with recommendations made during Uzbekistan's UPR examination?
A number of immediate measures in line with Uzbekistan's international human rights obligations must be taken by the government to ensure the creation of a safe and enabling environment for civil society, including:
- Facilitate the registration of all unregistered human rights organizations in the country;
- Release all imprisoned civil society activists whose cases are believed to be politically motivated and desist from further persecution and harassment against local civil society activists;
- Allow national civil society groups to receive grants, donations and assistance from international donors;
- Invite local human rights CSOs and activists to contributed to the country's national action plans and legislative working groups with human rights portfolios at each stage of the planning, implementation and evaluation process;
- Immediately cease blocking the websites of local organizations and independent activists; and
- Invite international assistance and development programs to work with and support the activities of local civil society.
How can regional and international civil society groups offer support to civil society in Uzbekistan?
The situation is becoming increasingly dire for civil society in Uzbekistan. As result of shifting geo-political priorities, including growing international cooperation on maintaining the Northern Distribution Network transit corridor to Afghanistan, foreign governments are increasingly reticent to support independent Uzbek civil society. Moreover, due to the unabated crackdown on civil society in the country, there is an intensifying belief among western donors that independent Uzbek civil society is incapable of holding the Uzbek government to account and supporting genuine reform in the country.
International and regional civil society must make stronger, concerted efforts to empower and support the few remaining independent Uzbek civil society activists in the country. Principally, international and regional groups must ensure that the stifled voices and messages of national civil society reach the international community. Regional and international allies of Uzbek civil society must create space to provide sustained financial and technical assistance and emergency support in crisis situations.
Finally, as the Uzbek authorities continue their campaign to rid the country of its remaining dissident voices, international civil society groups must keep a vigilant eye on regressive policy and extra-legal action taken to suppress civil society. There is an unprecedented need for enhanced monitoring programs to assess the risks and threats against local civil society activists in Uzbekistan.
Sukhrobjon Ismoilov is the founder and director of the Uzbekistan-based Expert Working Group (EWG). Established in 2009, EWG is a non-governmental network of independent Uzbek experts and researchers engaged in studying government policies and their effect on fundamental human rights and freedoms enshrined in the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights.