The European Union has eased the sanctions it imposed on Uzbekistan following the violence in Andijan in May 2005, lifting a visa ban on senior officials but prolonging an embargo on arms sales for another year.

Following a meeting of the EU’s General Affairs and External Relations Council on October 13, a statement was issued saying the EU “welcomes the progress achieved in Uzbekistan in the last year with regard to respect for the rule of law and protection of human rights”.

It cited as positive examples the release of human rights activist Mutabar Tajibaeva from jail last year, legislative and judicial reforms, the abolition of the death penalty, and the ratification of conventions against child labour.

It also hailed Tashkent’s willingness to discuss issues, for instance in consultations on human rights in June and a seminar on media freedom held in Tashkent on October 2-3. Participants invited by the EU to the latter seminar issued a statement ahead of the sanctions review, explaining why the event could not be viewed as evidence of improvement in the area of free speech.

At the same time, the EU said it remained “seriously concerned about the situation of human rights in some domains in Uzbekistan and urges the authorities to implement their international obligations fully in that regard.”

The EU called on the government to release all imprisoned activists, revoke restrictions on non-government groups, cooperate with United Nations special rapporteurs on torture and on freedom of expression, and grant accreditation to a representative of leading rights watchdog Human Rights Watch.

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