Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 April 2021
841. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Government response to treatment of the LGBT+ community by Uzbekistan and the level of press freedom in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18366/21]
View answer856. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will raise concerns regarding the threats faced by LGBTQI+ persons and journalists in Uzbekistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19188/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 841 and 856 together.
My Department is following events closely after recent attacks on LGBTQI+ campaigners in Tashkent that led to the hospitalisation of a prominent blogger known for his stance on LGBTQI+ issues and criticisms of the Government. These attacks and the public backlash against the victims are deeply troubling and have reportedly forced many into hiding for their safety. It is important that swift action is taken to protect fundamental freedoms, including media freedoms, and to hold the perpetrators of this violence fully accountable for their actions.
Advancing human rights is central to Ireland’s foreign policy, The Global Island. Ireland is committed to promoting the rights of LGBTI+ people, who continue to suffer unacceptable levels of violence and discrimination around the world. Ireland continues to support initiatives in the EU and other international fora which promote and protect the rights of LGBTI+ people, and which condemn violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
The Uzbek Government has made efforts to improve human rights in recent years, however consensual same-sex relations between men remains a criminal offence and LGBTQI+ persons continue to face widespread societal discrimination. During the 30th session of the Universal Periodic Review mechanism of the Human Rights Council, members of the international community recommended that Uzbekistan repeal this element of their criminal code and adopt legislation to protect LGBTQI+ persons. We encourage the Uzbek Government to take concrete steps to implement these recommendations as soon as possible.
Regarding press freedoms, there have been some modest improvements in this area since 2016. Plans to decriminalise defamation and grant bloggers the same rights as journalists were welcomed by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media in 2020. However, legislative changes in recent weeks have expanded the criminalisation of language deemed defamatory or insulting to the President into the digital space and jeopardise that progress.
Ireland is concerned for the shrinking of civil society space in Uzbekistan in the months leading up to Presidential elections and we will raise these concerns in our interactions with the Government.
