More Criticism For UN Over Uzbekistan

A session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in August (epa) PRAGUE, October 5, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) press freedom watchdog says it has joined Human Rights Watch (HRW) in its criticism of the UN Human Rights Council for deciding to review Uzbekistan's rights record behind closed doors.

On October 2, the UN body ruled, at the end of its first discussion on the situation in Uzbekistan since the May 2005 bloody military crackdown in Andijon, to no longer continue the debate in open session.

On October 3, HRW said the UN's main human rights body had missed a "crucial opportunity" to expose rights abuses in Uzbekistan.

RSF today expressed its "deep disappointment" at the council's decision, noting that restrictions on media freedom in the Central Asian country have significantly increased in the wake of Andijon.

In particular, it cited Uzbekistan's decision to close down the regional offices of RFE/RL and the BBC.