Ambassadors of Great Britain, EU and USA visit Tashkent regional prison

According to the British Embassy, ​​diplomats visited the prison on the invitation of the authorities.

During the visit, they were shown the premises where prisoners receive specialized medical care and therapy, as well as two workshops where prisoners produce clothing and furniture.

Prison staff also spoke about the daily life of individuals serving their sentences in this institution.

“This visit marks an important milestone in the interaction between Uzbekistan and the European Union, Great Britain and the United States. The diplomats welcomed the openness of prison staff and the improvements made in recent years,” the embassy noted.

Uzbekistan has announced that it will ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT), under which the National Preventive Mechanism will be responsible for preparing comprehensive and independent reports on places of detention.

“It is gratifying to see that Uzbekistan continues its path to improving human rights in the country. In the UK we have had many problems with our prisons and through open discussion and independent analysis we have been able to improve conditions in our prisons. I am very grateful to the government of Uzbekistan and the administration of prison No. 13 for organizing the visit. I was amazed at the quality of the facilities we saw today and the attention paid to rehabilitation. The life skills gained are invaluable for both individuals and their communities,” the British Ambassador Timothy Smart said.

US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Paul Pauletes urged the government to continue to expand independent monitor access to prisons and to work with the ombudsman's office and independent civil society to create an open and transparent prison system.