Do Human Rights in Uzbekistan No Longer Matter to Europe?

For example, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with French President Emmanuel Macron and signed a cooperation agreement. Former U.S. President Donald Trump also intensified bilateral relations with Uzbekistan, noting improvements in dialogue on economic and security issues. Additionally, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, during her visit to Samarkand, signed several important agreements aimed at deepening strategic cooperation.

At the "Central Asia – European Union" summit held on April 4 this year in Samarkand, Iskra Kirova from Human Rights Watch called on European leaders to openly discuss the human rights situation in Uzbekistan. However, during the summit, human rights and religious freedom were neither mentioned in official statements nor made public.

Political analyst Farhod Tolipov, in an interview with Paradigma.uz, stated that the recent lack of open discussion on human rights by the EU is linked to shifts in diplomatic strategy.

"This issue may now be addressed in a more softened manner, but it has not been completely removed from the agenda. For instance, a female human rights activist from Uzbekistan was recently awarded by an organization in Dublin dedicated to the protection of human rights," he said.

According to him, the proverb "it takes two hands to clap" is worth remembering — by extending their hand, Europeans are offering friendship and partnership.

"Of course, for them, cooperation with dictators or authoritarian regimes is unacceptable. Europe has historically suffered greatly under such regimes. That is why they aim to befriend only countries that have chosen the democratic path. If we, too, expect substantial assistance from them and want to accelerate cooperation, recent summits, statements, and events all point to one thing: we have the desire and the intent," the analyst noted.

Tolipov considers the EU's approach not to be one of “unconditional friendship,” but rather a partnership offered in exchange for democratic reforms. In his view, if Uzbekistan carries out deeper and more practical reforms in the areas of human rights and freedom of speech, it will have greater opportunities to receive substantial support from strategic partners such as the EU and the U.S.