Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - On 2–3 March 2020, a delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan headed by the First Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis Akmal Saidov in Geneva took part in the 128th session of the UN Human Rights Committee (HRC).

The HRC is a UN treaty body that monitors the implementation by member states of the ICCPR.

According to the Permanent Mission of our country to the UN Office, the Uzbek side submitted the fifth periodic report on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), of which 173 states are parties. Uzbekistan joined it on September 28, 1995.

In his opening remarks, the head of the delegation of Uzbekistan brought detailed information on the main directions and achievements of the implementation of the provisions of the Covenant by our country.

During the interactive dialogue, Committee experts welcomed the progress made in the development of a human rights culture in Uzbekistan after the election of Shavkat Mirziyoyev as President of the country. They noted with satisfaction the reduction in the prison population, the prohibition of the use of evidence obtained under torture, and progress in achieving gender equality.

It was noted that organized visits to Uzbekistan by UN special procedures mandate holders, as well as the implementation of their recommendations, testify to Uzbekistan’s strong commitment to ensure effective protection of human rights and freedoms. Comprehensive measures taken to eradicate forced and child labor, as well as to solve problems of statelessness, also received a positive assessment.

At the meeting, comments and questions were made by Chairman of the Committee Ahmed Fatnalla (Egypt) and members of the Committee, Yahd Ben Ashur (Tunisia), Christopher Bulkan (Guyana), Marcia Kran (Canada), Duncan Muhuza-Laki (Uganda), Photini Pazartsis (Greece) and Cornflower Santsin (Slovenia).

The issues covered a wide range of topics for the protection and promotion of civil and political human rights in Uzbekistan. In particular, the measures taken by the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan in such areas as the implementation of the recommendations of the HRC, the activities of the Ombudsman institution, prison conditions, the fight against corruption and discrimination, legal norms in the field of combating extremism, the registration of NGOs and religious organizations, and gender equality were of interest. and domestic violence, the right to peaceful assembly, citizenship issues, the independence of the judiciary.

The delegation of Uzbekistan provided detailed answers to the questions of the Committee experts, as well as to their additional comments.

In addition, written replies to a number of additional questions of the members of the HRC, as well as texts of new legislative acts, decrees and resolutions of the President, and decisions of the Government, were sent to the Secretariat of the HRC.

In general, a very intense interactive dialogue took place between the delegation of Uzbekistan and the experts of the Committee during the session. HRC members expressed gratitude for the open and constructive approach in the discussion of the national report.