The Worst of the Worst 2010 - Uzbekistan

Population: 27,562,000
Capital: Tashkent

Political Rights: 7
Civil Liberties: 7
Status: Not Free

2009 Key Developments: Uzbekistan continued to rebuild relations with the United States and the European Union in 2009 amid growing cooperation on logistical support for NATO operations in Afghanistan. At the same time, the government of President Islam Karimov maintained repressive state controls at home, denying citizens their basic human rights.

Political Rights: Uzbekistan is not an electoral democracy. President Karimov and the executive branch dominate the legislature and judiciary, and the government severely represses all political opposition. According to current constitutional rules, the president is limited to two seven-year terms, but Karimov was nevertheless elected to a third term in December 2007. Only four political parties, all progovernment, are registered, and no genuine opposition parties function legally. Members of unregistered opposition groups are subject to discrimination, and many live in exile abroad. Exiled opposition activist Bahodir Choriyev returned to Uzbekistan in 2009, but the authorities limited his movements and harassed activists who tried to meet with him. December 2009 parliamentary elections offered voters no meaningful choice. Corruption is pervasive.

Civil Liberties: Despite constitutional guarantees, freedoms of speech and the press are severely restricted. The state controls major media outlets and related facilities. The government permits the existence of mainstream religions, including approved Muslim, Jewish, and Christian denominations (primarily Protestant), but treats unregistered activities as a criminal offense. The state exercises strict control over Islamic worship, including the content of sermons. Suspected members of banned Muslim organizations and their relatives have been subjected to arrest, interrogation, and torture. The government limits academic freedom. Bribes are commonly required to gain entrance to exclusive universities and obtain good grades. Open and free private discussion is limited by the mahalla committees, traditional neighborhood organizations that the government has turned into an official system for public surveillance and control. Despite constitutional provisions for freedom of assembly, the authorities severely restrict this right in practice. Law enforcement officials broke up a small rally of human rights activists in Tashkent in February 2009. Freedom of association is tightly constrained, and unregistered NGOs face extreme difficulties and harassment. The judiciary is subservient to the president, who appoints all judges and can remove them at any time. Torture is reported to be endemic to the criminal justice system. Prisons suffer from severe overcrowding and shortages of food and medicine. Restrictions on foreign travel include the use of exit visas, which are often issued selectively. Women's educational and professional prospects are limited by cultural and religious norms and by ongoing economic difficulties. The trafficking of women abroad for prostitution remains a serious problem.