WRITTEN QUESTION E-3573/01

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(8 January 2002)

Subject: Political prisoners in Uzbekistan

Towards the end of November, a European delegation under the leadership of the Commission's Directorate-General for External Relations and of the head of the Unit for Relations with the Caucasus and Central Asia, Mr Cornelis Wittebrood, visited Uzbekistan. The delegation discussed not only economic but also social and political relations between the Union and Uzbekistan, and it was agreed that relations in these fields should be improved.

On 28 November 2001, the Uzbek democratic opposition leader Muhammed Salih (ERK) was detained at Prague airport on the basis of an international arrest warrant issued by the Uzbek authorities. A few days previously Salih, who was recognised as a political refugee in Norway, had been my guest at the European Parliament. The Government of Uzbekistan accuses Salih of responsibility for bombings directed against the Uzbek authorities. No proof of his involvement has ever been provided. Salih managed to escape, but according to Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch there are still between 7 000 and 8 000 political prisoners in his country. AI and HRW have been denouncing this situation. As Tashkent is seen as an ally in the battle against terrorism, however, the regime has a free hand in Uzbekistan.

1. Is the Commission aware that there are thousands of political prisoners in Uzbekistan? Did the European delegation raise this problem during its visit to the country? If so, what response did it receive from the Uzbek authorities? If not, why not?

2. Has the Commission obtained any information from the Czech Republic a candidate for accession as to the circumstances in which Mr Muhammed Salih was detained? If not, does it intend to do so?

3. Has the Commission contacted the Uzbek authorities in connection with the arrest of democratic opposition leader Salih? If so, what was Tashkent's response? If not, does the Commission intend to do so?

4. Does the Commission intend to continue to support and promote trade relations between Uzbekistan and the EU if Uzbekistan does not change its attitude towards the democratic political opposition?

5. Will the Commission inform potential European investors about the human rights situation in Uzbekistan? If not, why not?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(18 February 2002)

The Commission closely followed the recent events concerning Mr Mohammed Salih during his stay in the Czech Republic. The Commission Delegation in Prague was immediately informed of Mr Salih's arrest and of the position of human rights organisations. It raised the issue at a meeting of EU ambassadors in Prague. Contacts were also made with the Norwegian Ambassador in Prague, who confirmed his government's support for Mr Salih and the fact that he was in touch with the Czech authorities on the matter. The Delegation was also informed of the close attention President Havel was personally giving to the case. In agreement with the EU presidency it was decided only to make representations to the Czech authorities if the initiatives already under way failed. The successful outcome of the matter was welcomed by the Commission.

The Commission is fully aware of the human rights situation in Uzbekistan. The issue was raised at the last Cooperation Committee meeting in Tashkent on 23 November 2001. In accordance with the Commission's undertaking, the subject is addressed whenever the Commission has contact with the Uzbek authorities. On the November 2001 visit to Brussels of the Uzbek troika, led by Uzbekistan's Foreign Affairs Minister, Abdulaziz Kamilov (who also met Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs), the Commission again broached the subject of human rights and the democratisation process in Uzbekistan. Until recently the Uzbek authorities' response had changed little from that given to the Parliament delegation at the June 2001 Tashkent meeting of the Parliamentary Committee set up by the partnership and cooperation agreement.

At the Cooperation Council meeting held in Brussels on 29 January the matter was once again raised both by the Council Presidency and by the Commission. Progress became apparent: for the first time Mr Kamilov did not react with irritation to mention of the subject. He said that his government actively wished to improve the situation, but that democratic transition was slow since Uzbekistan was emerging from 70 years of Soviet domination and culture. The Uzbek authorities have already taken specific measures. Mr Kamilov welcomed the agreement with the International Red Cross on prison visiting. He said that the government wished to extend the scope of the agreement to all places of detention. He also referred to the Ombudsman's increasingly active role in dealing with human rights in Uzbekistan.

The Commission assures the Honourable Member that the points raised in his parliamentary question are regularly addressed by the Commission in meetings with the community of European investors held in Uzbekistan. Particular attention is given to respect for the rule of law (of major importance for private economic operators) by the Uzbek authorities, in particular the judicial authorities.