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1 1 (September 22, 2020)

handle is hein.crs/govdbup0001 and id is 1 raw text is: FF.~*\* gognpo goo , q g 'M M X Updated September 22, 2020 Uzbekistan Uzbekistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia that became independent with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Because it has the largest population in the region and is the only country that borders all four other Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan), Uzbekistan is arguably a potential regional leader. The country also shares a border with Afghanistan to the south and is increasingly engaged in the Afghan peace process. U.S. policymakers have identified Uzbekistan as a key partner in addressing regional threats such as illegal narcotics, trafficking in persons, terrorism, and violent extremism, as well as in promoting stability and development in Afghanistan. Additionally, the wide-ranging reform effort currently underway in Uzbekistan creates new opportunities for U.S. engagement with the country across a range of sectors (See CRS In Focus IFi 1408, Reforms in Uzbekistan). ffPica Muc.kgro Leadership Transition. From 1991 to 2016, Uzbekistan was led by President Islam Karimov, a former high-level Soviet official. International observers considered his rule authoritarian and highly repressive. After his death, Karimov was succeeded by Shavkat Mirziyoyev, an experienced politician who was prime minister under Karimov for 13 years. After serving as Acting President, Mirziyoyev handily won a December 2016 presidential election that was criticized by international observers as failing to meet democratic standards. He has since embarked on an ambitious reform agenda that challenges Karimov's legacy. Mirziyoyev's stated policies of liberalization and modernization aim to transform Uzbekistan's economy and attract increased foreign investment, while the country's reengagement with its neighbors is reconfiguring regional dynamics and furthering Central Asian connectivity, a U.S. policy priority. Government. Uzbekistan's centralized government structure grants the executive branch extensive powers, with the president exercising a significant degree of control over the legislature and the judiciary. The president nominates the prime minister, the chair of the Senate, the general prosecutor, and all regional governors. He also approves the cabinet of ministers and appoints and dismisses all judges. By law, the president is limited to two terms, but this limit was not observed by Karimov. The bicameral legislature (Oliy Majlis) has historically provided neither an effective check on the executive nor a venue for genuine political debate, although its role has expanded somewhat under Mirziyoyev, who has criticized the legislative branch for failing to exercise oversight over the executive and urged greater initiative from Parliament. 2019 Parliamentary Elections. The country's first post- Karimov parliamentary elections were held in December 2019. According to international experts, the elections took place in an atmosphere of unprecedented openness and engagement with voters but did not demonstrate genuine competitiveness. The composition of Parliament remains largely unchanged, and all five parties that currently hold seats are seen as pro-government. In 2020, legislative amendments expanded the oversight powers of the Oliy Majlis, and the new parliament has engaged in increased debate on policy issues. Figure I. Map of Uzbekistan i~ii~~ii~ii: ?i? ::::::: : ::: : :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ...............................:: :: :::::::::::::::::::: * *** 2' \~~'\~' N~ k U L ~3 £ K $1 A N Ti3shkent N * * A~~w N tThh3~a 2 *~ * >cu. ~ N' -' Source: CRS Human Rights. International organizations have lauded Uzbekistan's progress on human rights since its leadership transition, although concerns persist among some observers. The U.S. State Department has recognized the Mirziyoyev government's significant efforts to eliminate forced labor in the harvesting of cotton, the country's primary cash crop, for which millions of people had been coercively mobilized on an annual basis since the Soviet period. Although the government has released dozens of political prisoners and eased repression, the U.N. Committee Against Torture reported in 2019 that torture and ill-treatment of prisoners in Uzbekistan's prisons remained widespread and routine. The Uzbek state strictly controls and monitors religious practices, and unregistered religious activity is criminalized. Authorities reportedly target outward signs of religiosity, particularly hijabs and beards. A new draft law on religion introduced in parliament in 2020 would ease some restrictions but has drawn criticism for religious freedom advocates for maintaining onerous registration requirements and other elements of government control over religious life. According to the State Department, other major human rights issues in Uzbekistan include arbitrary

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