Tashkent suspends US pro-democracy NGO for six months

Uzbek authorities suspended the work of the US NGO Freedom House for six months for allowing rights defenders to use its Internet facilities, the organisation’s director in the capital, Tashkent, said Friday. Freedom House promotes democracy and freedom around the world. Tashkent’s civil court issued the verdict to suspend Freedom House following a request from the justice ministry that the NGO had broken Uzbek laws, said Branka Sesto. But she told IRIN that the verdict was still pending an appeal. Sesto added human rights activists had stopped using the organisation’s Internet facilities in September 2005 and that it had informed the justice ministry of the decision. Pressure on international organisations working in Uzbekistan to support local democracy, free speech and a free press, has escalated following popular uprisings in Georgia, Ukraine and neighbouring Kyrgyzstan. The popular revolts toppled long-standing Soviet-era leaders in these post-communist republics where Washington has been accused of fomenting dissent and supporting opposition movements. Relations between the US and Uzbekistan soured following criticism of Tashkent’s clampdown on an uprising in the eastern province of Andijan in May. Uzbekistan’s general prosecutor’s office said the unrest was a plot against Uzbekistan by “foreign destructive forces” that used local aid and rights groups. In December 2005 the foreign ministry suspended accreditation of Uzbek journalists working for the US radio station, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Also last year, Uzbekistan closed the local office of Internews – US-based NGO that trains journalists and provides media support throughout the world.