CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation and the Expert Working Group, a human rights policy organization based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan released a joint statement to the 24th Session of the HRC on the human rights session in Uzbekistan.
The Human Rights Council's review of Uzbekistan occurs at a time when the government continues to imprison activists and human rights defenders at an alarming rate for undertaking their legitimate and peaceful work.
Despite the government's acceptance of a number of recommendations committing to advancing judicial reform in accordance with international law and ensuring that human rights defenders and CSOs can freely operate in accordance with international standards, at least 15 civil society activists remain imprisoned on politically motivated charges. A number of those imprisoned were not provided guarantees under fair trial and due process standards and were sentenced to lengthy prison terms ranging from 10-15 years. Several of the detained activists, including Azam Turgunov and Dilmurod Saidov, have experienced an acute deterioration of their health, while at least seven others have reported being subject to ill treatment or torture while in custody.
