July 06, 2007
Politics:
Roundtable meeting on legal reforms in Uzbekistan held
Economics:
Delegation of Chinese business circles visits Uzbekistan
Government builds and repairs international highways
Geologists will grant new licenses
Society:
Roundtable discusses human trafficking and related problems
UNFPA, national partners disseminate World Population Day
POLITICS
ROUNDTABLE MEETING ON LEGAL REFORMS IN UZBEKISTAN HELD
An international roundtable on the "Abolition of the death penalty and transfer of the right to issue arrest sanctions to courts – demonstration of further intensification of reforms in Uzbekistan" was held at the State Law Institute in Tashkent.
The representatives of foreign embassies and international organizations accredited in Uzbekistan participated in the event, UzA reported.
The results of the liberalization of the criminal-legal sphere, the prospects of further reforms in the legal system of Uzbekistan, as well as the experience of the courts in other countries of the world, particularly in the use of criminal punishment and taking into custody were the central topic of discussion during the meeting.
Among those who spoke at the meeting were the Minister of Justice of Uzbekistan F. Atahanov, the rector of Tashkent State Law Institute, Member of the Senate of Oliy Majlis M. Rustamboev, the Director of the National Centre for Human Rights A. Saidov, the Professor of Bremen University in Germany R. Kniper. They supported the idea that the main essence of the legal reforms being implemented by President Karimov's administration is the consistent humanization, and support of the moral-spiritual potential of the society. They also noted on the importance of the Presidential Decrees "On the abolition of the death penalty in the Republic of Uzbekistan" and "On the transfer of the right to issue arrest sanctions to courts", passed in August 2005.
The Senate's approval of the Laws "On introduction of amendments and additions to certain legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan due to abolition of the death penalty" and "On introduction of amendments and additions to certain legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan due to the transfer of the right to issue arrest sanctions to courts" were another step towards the liberalization of the national legal system.
Roundtable participants exchanged opinions on the new arrest procedure and the conditions of its application, as well as the exclusion of the death penalty from the system of criminal punishments. Special interest was shown in the acts on the application of this measure of preclusion, the order of appeal, the deadlines and possibilities of extension of the period under custody.
Foreign experts highly appraised the level of reforms in the legal system of Uzbekistan, and stressed the fact that the country leader's initiatives are taking the Uzbek legal system to a quality new level of development.
ECONOMICS
DELEGATION OF CHINESE BUSINESS CIRCLES VISITS UZBEKISTAN
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan is organizing a visit of the delegation of Chinese business circles on 6-9 July.
The visit is organized within the framework of the visit of Minister of Finance of the Chinese People's Republic to the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The aim of the visit is establishing cooperation with the leading Uzbek companies working in such fields as textile industry, producing agricultural equipment, equipment on producing the silk, wooden products, telecommunication technologies, sport clothes, building and wood-recycling.
Within the framework of the visit it is planned to carry out cooperative exchange between the entrepreneurs of both countries, which will take plance on 9 July at Intercontinental-Tashkent Hotel.
GOVERNMENT BUILDS AND REPAIRS INTERNATIONAL HIGHWAYS
Large-scale reforms being implemented in Uzbekistan on the initiative of President Karimov are producing the expected results, particularly in the field of infrastructure development and road construction. Internal and international roads are being expanded, new roads are being built.
Work on the repair and development of the M-39 highway connecting Almaty, Bishkek, Tashkent and Termez is carried on. With the completion of this road in 2010, there will be a new way for the transit of goods across Uzbekistan to Afghanistan, Pravda Vostoka wrote.
142-km long section of the road passes through Surkhandarya region, where the hills of Gissar chain of mountains lie. To ensure the safety of the transportation and passengers on this segment, about ten construction organizations of the state UzAvtoYul Company are working here.
The workers of Andijan Road Repair enterprise deal with the bridges on the segment between the 1,335th and 1348th kilometers. They are working on the construction of 17 bridges over the mountain rivers and other water arteries. Some 10.45 billion soums will be spent for this purpose.
About 100 units of powerful equipment are being used. The first part of the wide and smooth two-way road will be finished by the Independence Day, and the rest – by the end of the year.
GEOLOGISTS WILL GRANT NEW LICENSES
State committee on geology and mineral resources of Uzbekistan is appointed as an authorized body on the licensing for the right of use with bowels of land of oil-and-gas branch.
The new order of granting licenses is established by the special resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov. Until recently the licensing for search and prospecting of oil-and-gas deposits, oil and gas extraction, was carried out by national holding company “Uzbekneftegas”.
The document confirms new issue on order and conditions of using sites of bowels in the Republic according to which the licenses are given out separately for every kind of reserves. The issue provides simultaneous granting several licenses to one user of reserves for the field development of near located deposits if according to the realized technical and economical calculations profitable is only their joint development.
The new regulation is applied when the sites of bowels are granted to usage on the terms of SĐA if other is not provided by the legislation about SĐA. According to the new order all recently received licenses for search and prospecting of minerals, including oil and gas, are subject to renewal.
The special license group is created in the committee which will be dealing with not only licensing for the right of use of reserves, but also monitoring of observance of license agreements.
SOCIETY
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSES HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND RELATED PROBLEMS
People trafficking is dangerous not only because it is related to organised crime, but also because it is a serious violation of human rights. One of the features of human trafficking is the fact that its victims are exploited, their freedom of movement is limited, and they have no free and voluntary choice of the labour activity.
Human trafficking, especially sexual exploitation of women, is widely spread around the world. The growing number of human trafficking victims is extremely alarming. The fast growth of this "business" is explained by its high profitability. It is the third most profitable activity, after drug trade and trade in arms.
The problem of human trafficking is urgent for Uzbekistan too. A roundtable discussion titled "Trafficking problems: legal and moral aspects" addressed this topic. The meeting was held on 28 June at the Institute for the Study of Civil Society. Among the participants of the discussion were the members of the Legislative Chamber of Uzbek parliament, the staff of the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Internal Affairs, leaders and members of the "female wings" of political parties and non-governmental organizations.
Roundtable participants discussed the prevention of human trafficking in Uzbekistan, increasing the accountability of people engaged in human trafficking business, as well as protection of the rights of its victims.
t was noted that the efforts are being put to counteract trafficking of women and children in Uzbekistan; draft law "On fight against human trafficking" has been prepared, and a complex of measures is being implemented aimed at preventing human trafficking and punishing the people engaged in it.
It was recommended that participation of NGOs in the prevention of trafficking of women and children, identification of specific incidents of exploitation of Uzbek women abroad, and provision of assistance to the victims of human trafficking is activated.
UNFPA, NATIONAL PARTNERS DISSEMINATE WORLD POPULATION DAY
On 6 July 2007 the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in cooperation with its national partners – Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Women's Committee of Uzbekistan circulated the message of Mr. Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General dedicated to the World Population Day. The theme of this year's World Population Day is "Men as Partners in Maternal Health".
The message particularly states: "As partners for maternal health, men can save lives. They play a decisive role in many respects. Husbands often make decisions about family planning and the use of household resources that influence the well-being and prospect of the whole family.
The support of an informed husband improves pregnancy and childbirth outcomes and can mean the difference between life and death in cases of complications, when women need immediate medical care. And supportive fathers can play an important role in the love, care and nurturance of their children.
Far too many women die during pregnancy and childbirth because their right to reproductive health is denied. The alarming spread of HIV among women is a tragic reminder that in many places, women do not have the power to protect their own health.
When a woman can plan her family, she can plan the rest of her life. When she is healthy, she can be more productive. And when her reproductive rights are promoted and protected, she has freedom to participate fully and equally in society.
Partnering with men is an important strategy for advancing reproductive health and rights.
On this World Population Day, let us all encourage men to become partners and agents for change, supporting safe motherhood in every way possible, thus contributing to creating a world of greater health and opportunity for all."
UNFPA and its partners continue the media campaign dedicated to the World Population Day that is marked each year on 11 July.
UNFPA is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programs to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.