The EU extends sanctions against Uzbekistan
On 14 May 2007 European Union foreign ministers called for the immediate release of imprisoned human rights defenders in Uzbekistan and extended sanctions imposed on Uzbekistan after the Andijan massacre of May 2005.
The Council discussed the deteriorating situation for human rights defender over recent months and in particular the long term jail sentence handed down to human rights defenders Gulbahor Turayeva. On 25 April 2007, a court in Uzbekistan sentenced 40 year-old human rights defender, pathologist and mother of four, Gulbahor Turayeva, to six years in prison. She was charged with attempting to overthrow the constitutional system, slander and producing and distributing materials threatening public order. The Council called for Gulbahor Turayeva's immediate release and urged the authorities to respect fully its commitments to international human rights standards.
The sanctions on Uzbekistan were imposed after government troops opened fire on a crowd of mostly peaceful protesters in Andijan, a city in the east of the country, two years ago, killing at least 700 people, according to rights groups. The government insisted 187 died and blamed Islamic militants for instigating the violence.Following the Andijan events in 2005, the Karimov government unleashed a massive crackdown on human rights defenders and against all political dissent in the country.
"We will go on with the sanctions, that is absolutely clear, but at the same time the sanctions will be some how modified, particularly the visa ban.The arms embargo on Uzbekistan has been kept in place, but only eight Uzbek officials will now be banned from traveling to the EU, down from 12", EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, said after the meeting.
In December 2006, the Uzbek officials agreed to talks with EU experts on the Andijan events but have refused to meet EU demands for an independent investigation into the crackdown. EU president Germany, backed by Spain, had pushed for the blacklist to be reduced even further and reviewed again after three to four months, while Britain and the Netherlands harshly criticized Uzbekistan for continuing human rights breaches, EU diplomats said.
The European Union imposed sanctions will be reviewed again in six months.