Uzbekistan Background [Hansard]

HRW Uzbekistan Report
Creating Enemies of the State:
Religious Persecution in Uzbekistan
http://hrw.org/reports/2004/uzbekistan0304/

Rumsfeldt Live in Tashkent:

Secretary Rumsfeld Press Conference with President of Uzbekistan
http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/2001/t10082001_t1005uz.html

Secretary Rumsfeld and Ambassador Jon Purnell Press Conference in Uzbekistan
http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/2004/tr20040225-secdef0492.html

HANSARD STARTS HERE

VIA PMOS
Press Briefing: 11am Friday 15 October 2004
Uzbekistan/Human Rights

Questioned as to whether it was the British Government's policy to use information obtained under torture, the PMS said that we abided by our commitments under international law. We never used torture to obtain information. Nor would we instigate others to commit torture for that purpose. Asked if there was a blanket ban on information that had been obtained under torture, the PMS said that we would probably look at such information were we to receive it. However, we abided by our commitments under international law. Put to her that we would, in effect, be giving others permission to do our dirty work for us, the PMS said that she would disagree. It was not something we would encourage and we would also appeal to other countries to ensure that they too abided by international law. Asked if the UK had encouraged Uzbekistan to abide by international law, the PMS said she had no doubt that we had. Asked for a reaction to Craig Murray's removal as British Ambassador to Uzbekistan, the PMS said that it was a personnel issue and should be dealt with in the appropriate way. Asked if she was implying that the Prime Minister had had no involvement in the issue, the PMS said that it was a personnel matter which was being dealt with by the Foreign Office.
http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/page6436.asp

Tuesday, 15 November 2005
John Bercow (Buckingham, Con) Hansard source
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how regularly the Uzbek authorities provide the British security services with intelligence information; what assessment he has made of whether information provided by those authorities has been obtained by torture; and if he will assess the effect of that information on the maintenance of British security.

Douglas Alexander (Minister of State (Europe), Foreign & Commonwealth Office) Hansard source
It is not the Government's policy to comment on intelligence matters.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2005-11-15b.27255.h&s=torture#g27255.q0

Monday, 10 October 2005
Andrew Pelling (Croydon Central, Con) Hansard source
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to support the establishment of democracy in Uzbekistan.

Douglas Alexander (Minister of State (Europe), Foreign & Commonwealth Office) Hansard source
Our ambassador in Tashkent, David Moran, has continued to impress upon President Karimov's Government the importance of social and political reform and our conviction that democracy, political pluralism and respect for the rule of law are essential for the long-term stability of Uzbekistan. We have made repeated calls on President Karimov's Government to allow free and fair elections in Uzbekistan. In a statement on 29 December 2004, my hon. Friend, the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Bill Rammell), made clear our view that Uzbekistan's most recent election, held on 26 December, had fallen far short of international standards in these respects.

We fund a number of projects aimed at promoting democracy, civil society, and human rights in Uzbekistan. For example, our embassy in Tashkent is supporting a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) registration and capacity-building project. This provides a lawyer to unregistered NGOs, assisting them in preparing documentation for registration, and appealing in the case of refusal. We are also sponsoring an International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) project aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the Uzbek authorities' efforts in tackling the problem of torture.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2005-10-10d.15598.h&s=torture#g15598.r0

Tuesday, 18 January 2005
John Bercow (Buckingham, Con) Hansard source
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Uzbekistan about securing greater independence of the country's judicial system.

Bill Rammell (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Foreign & Commonwealth Office) Hansard source
We regularly raise implementation of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture's recommendations. Recommendation (d) calls on the Government to

"take the necessary measures to establish and ensure the independence of the judiciary in the performance of their duties in conformity with international standards, notably the United Nations Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary".

In 2004 the UK funded an Electronic Court Reporting Project implemented by the American Bar Association CEELI, a public service project supporting the independence of the judiciary. It was preceded by a study tour to the UK by Uzbek judges.
We engaged in extensive trial monitoring during the terrorist trials of July to October 2004, which gave lawyers the confidence to put forward strong cases for their clients, gave the defendants the confidence to speak more openly and ensured that trials were conducted with a greater degree of openness and fairness. As a result, we believe that those on trial who were convicted received lower sentences than otherwise might have been expected..
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2005-01-18.208140.h&s=torture#g208140.r0

Tuesday, 18 January 2005
John Bercow (Buckingham, Con) Hansard source
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent of implementation by the Government of Uzbekistan of the recommendations by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.

Bill Rammell (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Foreign & Commonwealth Office) Hansard source
Many of the recommendations remain to be addressed but we have seen some progress which has been mostly in terms of developing legislation.

Recommendation B: Definition of Torture. The Supreme Court resolution 17 of December 2003 defined torture. The definition is that of the UN Convention Against Torture. The definition is not yet on the statute. The Interior Ministry (MVD) has told us they are prosecuting officials in accordance with the new definition anyway.
Recommendation E: Independent investigation of all allegations of torture. This recommendation says all allegations should be independently investigated. The Uzbek authorities permitted independent investigation of the death in custody of Andrei Shelkavenko in May 2004 and in January 2005 have agreed to allow a US pathologist access in the investigation of the death in custody of Samandar Umarov. Torture was disproved in the Shelkavenko case. But there are still many more cases of alleged torture which are not yet being independently investigated.
Recommendation O: Training for law enforcement agents regarding rights of those deprived of liberty. This has improved through projects implemented by the UN Development Programme and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe with MVD investigators and the penitentiary system.

We recently received an update on activities implemented under the Uzbek National Action Plan on Torture through which Uzbekistan intends to carry out the recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur. We are looking at this latest update with our EU partners to consider how we can work with the Uzbek Government to achieve further progress.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2005-01-18.208145.h&s=torture#g208145.q0

Monday, 13 December 2004
John Bercow (Buckingham, Con) Hansard source
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Uzbekistan about its obligations under the (a) International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and (b) Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Bill Rammell (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Foreign & Commonwealth Office) Hansard source
Along with our EU colleagues we regularly stress to the Uzbek authorities the importance of meeting Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and UN commitments.

A national action plan on torture was introduced by the Uzbek Prime Minister on 9 March 2004. However this failed to mention the recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. I have urged the Uzbek authorities to implement these recommendations without delay. Our Embassy raised this again most recently with the First Deputy Foreign Minister on 1 December. We expect to see an amended plan in due course. At the same time the Deputy Foreign Minister was reminded of the importance of meeting the obligations of the UN Human Rights Committee.

On 11 November 2004, an EU delegation, including the UK, reminded the Deputy Foreign Minister of the importance we attach to the Parliamentary elections on 26 December 2004 meeting OSCE election standards. Along with the OSCE, we will continue to follow these elections and the prospects for democracy and political rights closely.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2004-12-13.202802.h&s=torture#g202802.q0

Monday, 8 November 2004
Menzies Campbell (Fife North East, LDem) Hansard source
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the US State Department's conclusions in relation to Uzbekistan regarding (a) its absence of democracy and a free press and (b) its use of torture as a routine investigation technique; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw (Secretary of State, Foreign & Commonwealth Office) Hansard source
holding answer of 4 November 2004

The US State Department conclusions to which the right hon. Gentleman refers represent the basis upon which the US Secretary of State took the decision in July to withdraw up to $18 million in aid programmes to Uzbekistan. The decision was taken because of Uzbekistan's lack of progress in meeting its commitments to improve its human rights record under the strategic partnership framework agreed in 2002 between Uzbekistan and the US.
The US position is consistent with messages conveyed to the Uzbek Government by the UK and EU partners.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2004-11-08.195509.h&s=torture#g195509.q0

Monday, 1 November 2004
Keith Vaz (Leicester East, Lab) Hansard source
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases of torture have been brought to his Department's attention in the last 10 years in (a) Uzbekistan and (b) all countries.

Bill Rammell (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Foreign & Commonwealth Office) Hansard source
We receive reports of incidents of torture and human rights abuses from various sources, including individuals and NGOs, from all over the world, including Uzbekistan. The UK has a strong record, in conjunction with international partners, of acting on such reports.

We do not keep lists of all reported incidents of torture we receive. However, the Government have published an Annual Report on Human Rights since 1997. It provides an overview of the main challenges to human rights around the world, including torture, and explains the Government's overall activities and policies to address those challenges, in both bilateral and multilateral contexts. The report incorporates comments and recommendations we receive over the year from the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee and from a number of NGOs.

The report has been critical of Uzbekistan's human rights record and we shall be equally forthright in the 2004 report when it is published in November.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2004-11-01.194447.h&s=torture#g194447.q0

Monday, 1 November 2004
Keith Vaz (Leicester East, Lab) Hansard source
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he received on (a) promoting democracy and (b) eradicating human rights abuses in Uzbekistan.

Bill Rammell (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Foreign & Commonwealth Office) Hansard source
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office monitors and takes action on reports of human rights abuse in Uzbekistan as well as lobbying the Uzbek Government to introduce democratic reform. We benefit from a regular dialogue with NGOs such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, both at Ministerial and at official level, in London.

We also have frequent, informal contact with local NGOs in Uzbekistan. We receive reports from and have regular consultations with organisations such as the Initiative Group of Independent Human Rights Defenders of Uzbekistan and Mothers against the Death Penalty and Torture, as well as from families and other human rights defenders. Our Embassy in Tashkent has also received representations from independent political parties regarding registration and the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

We value the NGO expertise we receive concerning Uzbekistan and will continue to be in regular contact with the NGO community on issues of human rights and democracy there in the future. As an example of this, our Embassy in Tashkent is funding an NGO Registration and Capacity Building Project to improve the capacity of local independent human rights NGOs in Uzbekistan.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2004-11-01.194448.h&s=torture#g194448.r0

Tuesday, 26 October 2004
Gary Streeter (South West Devon, Con) Hansard source
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the United States about Mr. Craig Murray's reports that the (a) British and (b) US intelligence services were using information extracted from prisoners in Uzbekistan under torture; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw (Secretary of State, Foreign & Commonwealth Office) Hansard source
We have regular discussions with the US on Counter Terrorism and human rights.
The UK abides by its commitments under international law, including the UN Convention Against Torture. The British Government, including the intelligence and security agencies, never use torture in order to obtain information. Nor would we instigate others to commit torture for that purpose. We are active in pressing other countries to live up to their human rights obligations and to deliver on human rights commitments they have made.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2004-10-26.192935.h&s=torture#g192935.q0

Tuesday, 26 October 2004

Alice Mahon (Halifax, Lab) Hansard source
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the (a) provenance and (b) reliability of the intelligence that the UK has received on Uzbekistan from (i) the CIA and (ii) other sources.

Jack Straw (Secretary of State, Foreign & Commonwealth Office) Hansard source
All intelligence is validated and assessed. It is not the Government's policy to confirm or deny details of specific intelligence reporting.

The UK intelligence agencies evaluate the reliability of all intelligence they receive before it is passed into the assessment process. This evaluation takes account of the possible motivation of the source as well as what kind of reporting record the source may have and the circumstances in which it was obtained.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2004-10-26.193025.h&s=Uzbekistan

Monday, 1 March 2004
Harold Best (Leeds North West, Lab) Hansard source
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Uzbekistan about human rights.

Bill Rammell (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Foreign & Commonwealth Office) Hansard source
We remain deeply concerned by the human rights situation in Uzbekistan and regularly discuss human rights with the Uzbek Government both bilaterally and with our EU partners.

Last year I discussed our concerns about the human rights situation in a meeting with the Uzbek Ambassador on 8 October, urging the Uzbek authorities to implement the UN Special Rapporteur for Torture's recommendations immediately. At the EU Uzbekistan Co-operation Council on 27 January, the EU reiterated its serious concern about the human rights situation in Uzbekistan. The Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. O'Brien) raised human rights issues with the Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister on 4 February.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office frequently discusses human rights with the Uzbek Ambassador in London and raises human rights issues and individual cases with our EU partners. Our Ambassador in Tashkent continues to raise individual cases, as well as our general concerns, at ministerial level both bilaterally and in conjunction with EU colleagues.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2004-03-01.157017.h&s=torture#g157017.r0

Tuesday, 16 December 2003
[Selecticve quotes from Uzbekistan debate]

Bill Rammell
Our relations with Uzbekistan are generally constructive-the characterisation of constructive engagement put forward by my noble Friend Baroness Symons in the other place is correct. However, despite that constructive relationship, we have serious concerns about human rights and the lack of economic and political reforms. Uzbekistan became an independent state only when the former Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, so the relationship is relatively young and is developing...

The hon. Gentleman referred to our relationship with Uzbekistan and the war against terror. We are grateful for Uzbek support, particularly in relation to Afghanistan. Uzbekistan was also strongly supportive of the coalition efforts in Iraq. The important role that Uzbekistan has played in the war against terror is reflected in high-level exchanges of defence visits-most recently, that by the Uzbek Defence Minister in October. That provided an important opportunity for us to encourage further reform in the Uzbek armed forces and Uzbek participation in international peacekeeping operations. A memorandum of understanding that was signed will enable our armed forces to assist the Uzbeks with those goals. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman would support that initiative

Uzbekistan is a key player in a region of increasing strategic importance to the UK, so defence co-operation is important. However, while bilateral defence co-operation is effective, it is important to note that the Uzbek armed forces are not implicated in human rights violations.....

We want a prosperous and stable Uzbekistan, based on the rule of law and an open and democratic society, but Uzbekistan's respect for human rights has been poor. On that, I agree with some of the hon. Gentleman's comments. We acknowledge and support the small steps forward that the Uzbek Government have taken-for example, inviting the UN special rapporteur on torture to visit Uzbekistan. We now need to see the Uzbek authorities fully implementing his recommendations. It is welcome that the Uzbek criminal code has been amended to define torture and that a draft national action plan on torture is being drawn up. We shall look closely at the detail of that plan, and we hope to have open and constructive dialogue with the Uzbek authorities to ensure that it is implemented. I am also pleased that the Uzbek Government have granted access to prisons to western ambassadors and the International Committee of the Red Cross...

It is worth taking this opportunity to put on the record the situation with our ambassador. There has been much comment and speculation in the press, and it has been suggested over the past few months that we do not support our ambassador to Tashkent, and that we have recalled him from that post because of pressure from our allies. Neither assertion is true. The ambassador is in the UK for private medical reasons. It would be inappropriate for me to comment further, other than to confirm that he remains our ambassador and to say that we endorse his comments about the human rights situation in Uzbekistan; I explicitly endorsed them at the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs...

To sum up, it is clear that Uzbekistan faces many difficult challenges. There is much work to do, but we should bear it in mind that it is only 12 years since the collapse of the Soviet Union. We are engaging constructively with Uzbekistan, and will continue to press our human rights concerns and give what support we can to the Uzbek authorities. There are difficult concerns and challenges, and it is critically important that we remain engaged on them.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2003-12-16.204.0&s=torture#g208.0

Monday, 17 November 2003

Shaun Woodward (St Helens South, Lab) Hansard source
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding other than that provided for the translating and printing of his Department's publications in Uzbek will be provided for assistance to Uzbekistan in judicial reform.

Bill Rammell (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Foreign & Commonwealth Office) Hansard source
In 2002, the Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP) funded a £71,000 pilot electronic court reporting project in Uzbekistan. As part of the project, new electronic court reporting equipment was installed in four criminal courts in the Ferghana Region. Sadly, while receiving some positive reports from defence lawyers, this assistance has had its limitations; the equipment was abused or not used in practice and court reports were not made available when cases were appealed. Further plans to install the equipment in over 150 courts nation wide have been suspended until we receive firm evidence that the equipment provided thus far is being used effectively.

We shall continue to look for viable opportunities to assist Uzbekistan in reforming its judiciary and improving its human rights record in conjunction with EU, OSCE and other partners. We believe that lessening the dependence on often doubtful confessions and improving the focus on material and forensic evidence is the key to reducing levels of brutality and improving fairness in the judicial process. Through engagement with the authorities on development of an action plan to combat torture, we are also pressing for the political will for such reforms. Regionally we are organising a training workshop in Almaty in December to train judges and prosecutors in the judicial control of the practice of torture. Members of the Uzbek judiciary and procuracy will be invited to attend.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2003-11-17.138167.h&s=torture#g138167.r0

Thursday, 19 December 2002
Greg Pope (Hyndburn, Lab) Hansard source
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed human rights with representatives of the Government of Uzbekistan.

Mike O'Brien (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Foreign & Commonwealth Office) Hansard source
When I last met the Uzbek Ambassador on 4 September, I raised human rights. The Permanent Under Secretary also raised human rights issues with Uzbek Foreign Minister Kamilov in London in September. Officials raise the subject regularly, most recently with the Uzbek Ambassador on 16 December. The UK also makes representations with the EU wherever possible and was recently part of an EU delegation making representations to Deputy Foreign Minister Safaev on the deaths of two prisoners, apparently due to torture. We also make statements on human rights issues, both with the EU and bilaterally: our Ambassador made a strong speech in October at the opening of the Freedom House NGO in Tashkent, while in December the EU made a statement protesting about the unfair trial of Iskander Khudaiberganov.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2002-12-19.87653.h&s=torture#g87653.r0