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New Uzbekistan: Political Reforms and Parliamentary Elections – 2024
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Modern economic and democratic systems aim to uphold individual rights and freedoms. It’s widely accepted that there’s no one-size-fits-all model for democracy; development must adapt to each country’s unique circumstances.
- New Uzbekistan: Democratic Reforms and Human Rights
A year ago, Uzbekistan made history by adopting a revised Constitution through a nationwide referendum, solidifying the foundations of New Uzbekistan. Constitutional changes prioritize individual rights and significantly enhance their protection, Hellomagyar.hu analysis said.
In line with this new Constitution, various laws are being amended and new ones are being introduced, affecting state governance, the legislative branch, and institutions like the Central Election Commission. Uzbekistan is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, guided by the UN’s principle of “Leaving no one behind.”
The democratic reforms underway have become irreversible, with equal opportunities, human rights, and improved welfare for citizens at the forefront. Key components of the “Uzbekistan 2030” Strategy include:
– Protecting human rights
– Creating conditions for individual potential
– Reducing poverty and enhancing welfare
– Strengthening civil society
– Combating corruption and promoting sustainability
Uzbekistan actively collaborates with UN bodies and international organizations to advance human rights. Notably, 11 resolutions have been introduced at the UN General Assembly, with four adopted in 2024 alone.
High-profile visitors, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres and various UN human rights commissioners, have visited Uzbekistan to assess its human rights landscape and ongoing reforms. Between 2021 and 2023, Uzbekistan became a member of the UN Human Rights Council and was elected to several other UN bodies for the first time.
The National Human Rights Strategy is in progress, focusing on gender equality, freedom of speech, and the fight against torture. Significant steps are being taken to protect women’s rights and eliminate stereotypes. Democratic judicial principles, such as “Miranda Rights” and “Habeas Corpus,” are now constitutionally enshrined.
- Parliamentary Elections: A New Phase in Democratic Development
Elections serve as vital benchmarks in a democracy, allowing citizens to express their political will. In 2024, approximately 70 countries, representing over half the world’s population, will hold significant elections, including Uzbekistan’s parliamentary elections on October 27, 2024.
Since 2016 Uzbekistan has made some major human rights reforms. It banned using children and forced labour in cotton harvesting. Isn’t that an improvement! Large numbers of political prisoners have been released since 2016 (Great!). Unfortunately it doesn’t get much better than that if you read the following from the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development “there is still no parliamentary opposition – all political parties represented in parliament are considered being close to the government. Election monitors of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) noted deficits concerning basic rights and irregularities in the voting process both during the presidential and the parliamentary elections.” AND the following which quite resembles Hungary “Freedom of expression, freedom of the press and freedom of assembly remain restricted. Critical reporting is mainly found in the social media. Again and again, journalists and bloggers are being exposed to intimidation attempts and state repression. Access to the internet is state-regulated.
One area in which the rule of law falls short is the country’s judiciary, which does not operate independently. Court rulings are frequently politically motivated and existing legal provisions are often not enforced.” One has to be naive to take the fluff piece from HelloMagyar as some kind of proof that Uzbekistan has really joined the democratic world but there is some progress.
https://www.bmz.de/en/countries/uzbekistan/political-situation-56044