Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a statement ahead of the 5+1 summit in Berlin.
Human rights activists called on President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier to raise the topic of human rights at a meeting with the leaders of Central Asian countries. The statement says that Germany should not pass up the opportunity to press the Central Asia leaders on the very poor human rights records in their countries.
HRW emphasizes that the situation in Central Asia after the Russian invasion of Ukraine will most likely be on the agenda in Berlin. «Germany is expected to urge the five countries to resist efforts by Moscow to use trade routes through their region to evade sanctions,» Hugh Williamson, director of the Europe & Central Asia division of HRW, says.
HRW called on Berlin to remind the heads of state of Central Asia that that upholding fundamental human rights standards and respecting rule of law are essential to any long-term partnership between Europe and these states.
«Politically motivated prosecutions, suppression of free speech, and impunity for torture are widespread in Central Asia. Clashes during street protests in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in 2022 left over 250 people dead, with no proper accountability for these deaths,» the statement says.
Tajikistan has intensified repression of opposition voices, violently cracking down on peaceful dissent in the autonomous region of Gorno-Badakhshan.
«The shockwaves sent by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have prompted Central Asia’s leaders to seek stronger ties with other allies, including in Europe. Germany should make the most of this newfound engagement, but on terms that promote the rights of the peoples throughout the region,» the statement says.
