U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Vice Chairman of the House International Relations Committee and Helsinki Commission Co-Chairman, welcomed the decision by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to designate Uzbekistan as a “Country of Particular Concern” for its particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
“I applaud Secretary Rice for making the right decision as the situation in Uzbekistan has deteriorated significantly over the last 18 months. The United States cannot sit quietly while people of faith are systematically oppressed and incarcerated by President Islam Karimov’s regime in Tashkent,” said Smith, who also serves as Chairman of the House International Relations Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations.
On October 13, the State Department transmitted to Congress the 2006 designations of Countries of Particular Concern for Severe Violations of Religious Freedom. Ambassador John Hanford, the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, publicly announced the new designation of Uzbekistan on behalf of Secretary Rice at a press conference yesterday. Uzbekistan was the only new country and seven other countries were re-designated.
“Since the Andijon massacre in May 2005, when Uzbek security forces indiscriminately fired on a crowd of protestors, we have observed a steep decline in the respect for religious liberties in Uzbekistan. With the designation of Uzbekistan as a ‘CPC’ under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, the State Department’s engagement with Tashkent becomes more focused on ways to improve religious freedoms,” Smith said.
Fifteen years after independence, Uzbekistan remains the worst violator of religious freedoms within the 56-member Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Despite its OSCE commitments to the contrary, Uzbekistan continues to prohibit unregistered religious activity, heavily fine individuals who meet “illegally” for worship, jail thousands because of their Islamic affiliations or beliefs, and prohibit the ability of individuals to share their religious views. Recent changes to the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offences also increased penalties for the “illegal” production of religious literature.
Smith noted that the clock is running for Uzbekistan and a failure to change will result in severe consequences.
“If the recalcitrant Karimov regime does not markedly improve its respect for this fundamental freedom in the short term, Secretary Rice would be well justified to use the strict provisions given to her under the Act,” said Smith.
However, Smith said that he believed that sanctions could be avoided if Karminov takes the designation seriously and ends his regime’s repression of religious expression.
“I urge Mr. Karimov to embrace religious freedom for his society. The United States is willing to reengage the Uzbeks in a serious dialogue about improving human rights, but it is up to Karimov to end his own isolation,” said Smith.
