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1 1 (January 10, 2023)

handle is hein.crs/govekgf0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congress ionaI Research SerVic inforinina the lsaive dlbat since 1.914 Updated January 10, 2023 Uzbekistan Overview 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), many analysts see Uzbekistan as a potential regional leader. The country also shares a border with Afghanistan. U.S. policymakers have identified Uzbekistan as a key partner in addressing regional threats such as illegal narcotics, terrorism, and violent extremism. Since Uzbekistan embarked on a wide- ranging reform program in 2016, the country has reengaged with the international community, leading to significantly improved relations with the United States. The U.S. government has praised Uzbekistan's ongoing reform efforts, but continues to raise concerns about human rights and political freedoms. Some Members of Congress express interest in expanding U.S. engagement with Uzbekistan on trade, democratic reforms, human rights, and security cooperation. Poiit.al Background 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. Mirziyoyev embarked on an ambitious reform program, aiming to transform Uzbekistan by modernizing and liberalizing the economy, addressing human rights concerns, and reengaging with the international community. He won reelection to a second five-year term in October 2021. Observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) noted significant procedural irregularities and concluded that Uzbekistan's reforms have not yet resulted in a genuinely pluralistic environment. 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. 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 urged greater initiative from Parliament. In 2020, legislative amendments expanded parliamentary oversight powers. Proposed Constitutional Reforms. Following his reelection, Mirziyoyev raised the possibility of constitutional changes, a move some analysts see as a potential means of evading the two-term limit on the presidency. When a new draft constitution was published for public comment in June 2022, officials presented the proposed changes as intended to further democratization and bolster human rights. Some of the proposed provisions would have changed the political status of Karakalpakstan, a sparsely populated region in western Uzbekistan, by undermining its nominal autonomy. This aspect unexpectedly spurred large-scale protests that turned violent, leaving at least 21 people killed and over 200 injured. President Mirziyoyev subsequently announced that constitutional articles concerning Karakalpakstan would remain unchanged. A constitutional referendum is planned for spring 2023. Figure I. Map of Uzbekistan Source: CRS Human Rights. International governments and nongovernmental 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. The International Labour Organization determined that Uzbekistan's 2021 cotton harvest was free from systemic forced labor and systemic child labor. The Uzbek state strictly controls and monitors religious practices, and unregistered religious activity is criminalized. A new law on religion passed in 2021 eases some restrictions but has drawn criticism from religious freedom advocates for maintaining significant government control over religious life. According to the State Department, other major human rights issues in Uzbekistan include arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, restrictions on freedom of expression and freedom of the press, and restrictions on civil society.

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