MENU
Documenting
war crimes in Ukraine

The Tribunal for Putin (T4P) global initiative was set up in response to the all-out war launched by Russia against Ukraine in February 2022.

Similar articles

Russia frees criminals, sentences Crimean Tatar civic journalist to 11 years for moral integrityCrimean Tatar political prisoner: Russia’s 19-year sentence will not silence me, nor will such persecution break others 13-year sentences for somebody else's conversation in cynical rehash of Russia's first attack on Crimean Tatar rights activists Russia sentences human rights defender to 14 years for helping political prisoners seek justice from ECHR Russia flouts UN order and begins carrying out death sentence against Crimean Tatar civic journalist UN Committee orders Russia to refrain from killing second Crimean Tatar political prisoner in one monthRussia terminates ‘trial’ of refugee it killed in occupied Crimea two years ago Court sentences conscientious objector to a year in jailDeath sentence for reporting on Russian repression in occupied Crimea and chilling repeat of Stalin-era persecution Russia challenged over Crimean Tatar civic journalist’s death sentenceUnending torture of Crimean Tatar political prisoner for refusal to collaborate with Russia’s FSB Russian court willing to kill 60-year-old Crimean Tatar political prisoner, heart attack or not Savage sentences in Russia’s religious persecution and plunder in occupied Crimea Russia 'takes revenge’ for humiliating attack on Crimea military base by new mass arrests of Crimean Tatars Russia copy-pastes first attack on Crimean Tatar activists after 4 years for new 13-year sentences Russia jeopardizes life of Crimean Tatar veteran activist imprisoned for defending political prisoners Russia kills refugee in occupied Crimea, then ‘puts him on trial’“We can't clean ourselves from the blood” – digest of Russian protestsRussia fails to avoid European Court accountability for its war crimes in UkraineRussia revokes sole acquittal of Crimean Tatar civic journalist and political prisoner

Memorial is fiercely critical of the EU decision to remove sanctions against Uzbekistan

27.10.2009   
The decision to remove sanctions against Uzbekistan, imposed after the Andijan events, demonstrates a regrettable willingness by European politicians for the sake of geopolitical interests to close their eyes to systematic and flagrant violations of human rights in this country

The Memorial Human Rights Centre has stated that the stopping of EU sanctions against Uzbekistan is an unwarranted concession to one of the worst dictatorships.

The decision by the European Union to remove sanctions against  Uzbekistan, imposed after the Andijan events, demonstrates a regrettable willingness by European politicians for the sake of geopolitical interests to close their eyes to systematic and flagrant violations of human rights in this country.

The Uzbekistan authorities have not only ignored demands for an independent investigation into the Andijan tragedy during which the actions of government forces caused the death of hundreds of peaceful civilians, but also continue mass repression within the country. Thousands of Uzbek Muslims have been subjected to torture and are languishing in prison on trumped-up charges. This year repression significantly increased, leading to a rising number of refugees. Over recent months hundreds of believers have been arrested under the pretext of fighting terrorism, while many religious prisoners have had their sentences unwarrantedly increased.

CIS countries are receiving more and more requests to extradite to Uzbekistan nationals of that country groundlessly suspected of committing crimes. This is despite the European Court of Human Rights having unequivocally deemed extradition to Uzbekistan as unacceptable since ill-treatment of people held in custody in that country is a widespread and constant problem.

The government is continuing to place pressure on the human rights community and journalists. 16 Uzbek human rights defender remain imprisoned.

The issue of access by the opposition to the parliamentary and local elections planned for the end of the year is not even discussed.

In such a situation it would be difficult to view the cancellation of the last, in many ways symbolic, sanctions against Uzbekistan (the ban of supplying military purpose goods) as anything but an entirely unjustified friendly step towards one of the most obnoxious dictatorships.

Such a decision not only arouses moral condemnation, but also leads to a toughening of positions in a region of radical Islamic groups using violent methods in their battle with the government.

27 October 2009

http://memo.ru/2009/10/27/2710094.htm

 Share this