Title

The Uzbekistan Crisis: Assessing the Impact and Next Steps

Wednesday, June 29, 2005
2:00pm
124 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20002
United States
Official Transcript: 
PDF icon The Uzbekistan Crisis Assessing the Impact and Next Steps.pdf
Members: 
Name: 
Hon. Sam Brownback
Title Text: 
Chairman
Body: 
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Name: 
Hon. Chris Smith
Title Text: 
Co-Chairman
Body: 
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Statement: 
PDF icon CS.pdf
Name: 
Hon. Ben Cardin
Title Text: 
Ranking Member
Body: 
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Statement: 
PDF icon BC.pdf
Name: 
Hon. Joseph Pitts
Title Text: 
Commissioner
Body: 
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Name: 
Hon. Robert Aderholt
Title Text: 
Commissioner
Body: 
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Witnesses: 
Name: 
Galima Bukharbaeva
Title: 
Correspondant
Body: 
Institute for War and Peace Reporting
Statement: 
PDF icon GB.pdf
Name: 
Marcus Bensmann
Title: 
Correspondant
Body: 
Neue Zuercher Zeitung
Name: 
Holly Cartner
Title: 
Executive Director, Europe & Central Asia Division
Body: 
Human Rights Watch
Statement: 
PDF icon Holly Cartner.pdf
Name: 
Robert Templer
Title: 
Director, Asia Group
Body: 
International Crisis Group
Statement: 
PDF icon Robert Templer.pdf
Name: 
Muhammad Salih
Title: 
Chairman
Body: 
Erk Party

This hearing focused on the protests in the Andijon that were met by a violent government response and the lack of meaningful democratization reform in Uzbekistan. The Commissioners touched on the lack of separation of powers in the government and the authoritarian governing institutions that cannot produce a reliable investigation into the violent government response to the protest.

Human rights activists and journalists from Uzbekistan gave testimony on their experience of the oppressive leadership of the government and first-hand account of the horrific and bloody response by the government police to remove peaceful protestors. The hearing discussed what actions the United States can take, within the OSCE framework, to push for meaningful reform.

Relevant issues: 
Freedom of Association and Assembly
Good Governance and the Rule of Law
Relevant countries: 
Uzbekistan
Leadership: 
Ben Cardin
Christopher Smith
Sam Brownback
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