In anticipation of the upcoming EU-Central Asia Summit set for April 3 and 4, 2025, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Amnesty International has called on Central Asian and EU nations to prioritize the protection of human rights and civil society. Amnesty’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, Marie Struthers, emphasized the importance of empowering civil society by ensuring human rights due diligence, fostering open dialogue, and building trust between states and the public.
The summit is particularly consequential as a number of Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, have either considered or enacted legislation targeting organizations critical of governmental powers. Such laws, often labeled as “foreign agent” laws, are seen as tools to stifle dissent and restrict freedom of the press, as evidenced by criminal charges against independent media in Kazakhstan, documented by Amnesty International here.
The situation is mirrored in Kyrgyzstan, where investigative journalism is suppressed, as detailed in an Amnesty report, while new laws constraining freedom of belief and religion have raised concerns. Furthermore, Uzbekistan’s control over social media and the internet has intensified, limiting public discourse.
To ensure these issues are addressed, human rights advocates urge concrete actions to be taken by summit participants to preserve civil society freedoms and incorporate human rights considerations as a core aspect of their renewed cooperation. For further details, visit the original article by JURIST.