The EU has learned with concern of the sentences pronounced by the City Court in Tashkent on 1 March against Ms. Nodira Khidoyatova and on 6 March against Sanjar Umarov, both prominent leaders of the “Sunshine Coalition” in Uzbekistan, for a number of offences including fraud, embezzlement, and membership of a criminal organisation. The EU is particularly concerned that Ms. Khidoyatova and Mr. Umarov have each been sentenced to ten years imprisonment in addition to the payment of damages and that they will not be allowed to exercise any economic activity for three years after their release.
Moreover, the EU observed with grave concern the conviction to eight years imprisonment of the human rights defender Ms. Mukhtabar Tojibaeva on 6 March. Ms. Tojibaeva was accused of slander, extortion and misuse of land. In addition she was found guilty of membership of the organisation “Burning Hearts”, a human rights group which is unregistered under Uzbek law.
The EU urges Uzbekistan to review the conviction of Ms. Tojibaeva and to ensure a fair trial with access for national and international observers.
The EU urges Uzbekistan to act in conformity with all relevant OSCE human dimension commitments, international human rights standards and treaty obligations in the case of appeals by the three persons convicted.”
The Acceding Countries Bulgaria and Romania, the Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this declaration.
* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process
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