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OSCE's human rights office welcomes registration of independent NGO in Uzbekistan
WARSAW 7 March 2002
WARSAW, 7 March 2002 - The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today welcomed the formal registration of the Independent Human Rights Organization by the Uzbek Ministry of Justice earlier this week. It is the first time an independent human rights group, critical of the Government, has been formally registered in Uzbekistan.
"The ODIHR considers this a positive and encouraging step towards creating basic conditions for the development of civil society in Uzbekistan", said ODIHR Director Ambassador Gerard Stoudmann. "We hope the authorities will allow for the registration of other non-governmental organizations as well, including the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan, and that we are witnessing a new and more open approach by the Uzbek government towards independent non-governmental organizations."
The Independent Human Rights Organization and the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan, the two major independent human rights NGOs in Uzbekistan, have been trying to receive official recognition for more than ten years. During this time, the two groups, which are critical of the country's human rights situation, have been subject to harassment and interference by the authorities, and severe restrictions have been imposed on their work.
"The ODIHR considers this a positive and encouraging step towards creating basic conditions for the development of civil society in Uzbekistan", said ODIHR Director Ambassador Gerard Stoudmann. "We hope the authorities will allow for the registration of other non-governmental organizations as well, including the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan, and that we are witnessing a new and more open approach by the Uzbek government towards independent non-governmental organizations."
The Independent Human Rights Organization and the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan, the two major independent human rights NGOs in Uzbekistan, have been trying to receive official recognition for more than ten years. During this time, the two groups, which are critical of the country's human rights situation, have been subject to harassment and interference by the authorities, and severe restrictions have been imposed on their work.