§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will refer to the condition of religious freedom in Uzbekistan in their statement at the forthcoming session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission. [HL1622]
§ The Minister for Trade (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)We are deeply concerned by reports of religious intolerance in Uzbekistan. My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs raised human rights concerns with the Uzbek ambassador in London on 10 February. Our ambassador in Tashkent drew attention to the issue of religious prisoners in Uzbekistan in a public speech last October.
The UK, along with all EU partners, supported the Irish resolution on religious intolerance at last year's session of the Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR), and we cosponsored a resolution at the UN General Assembly in November last year on the elimination of all forms of religious intolerance.
We are discussing what action to take on Uzbekistan and other countries with EU partners at this year's session, taking place from 17 March to 25 April.