VZCZCXRO5021
RR RUEHIK RUEHPOD RUEHYG
DE RUEHNT #0364 0861254
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261254Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9429
INFO RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 3842
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA 0056
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 4458
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0336
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2407
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1078
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0183
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS TASHKENT 000364 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR UZ
SUBJECT: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PRAISES UZBEKISTAN FOR 
ABOLISHING DEATH PENALTY 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:  On March 26 the government-run press 
published a letter from an Amnesty International official 
praising UzbekistanQs recent steps to formally abolish 
capital punishment.  The article noted UzbekistanQs actions 
were consistent with the requests specified in a 2007 
United Nations resolution.  Uzbekistan does indeed deserve 
praise for this major step forward, but there is still much 
work to be done to improve the human rights situation.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2. (U) On March 26 the newspaper QNarodnoe SlovoQ (PeopleQs 
Word), an official publication of the Uzbek parliament and 
Cabinet of Ministers, printed an article provided by the 
Information Agency QJahonQ of the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs (MFA) entitled QThe Principled Position of 
Uzbekistan Is Highly Valued by Amnesty InternationalQ.  The 
article notes that MFA recently received a letter from 
Amnesty InternationalQs Director of International Law and 
Organizations Martin McPherson.  The letter expresses the 
organizationQs gratitude to the Government of Uzbekistan 
for implementing the resolution QMoratorium on use of the 
death penaltyQ (Resolution 62/149), which the article says 
was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations 
on December 18, 2007. 
 
¶3. (U) The letter also noted that 87 member-states from all 
geographical regions co-authored the resolution in the 
Third Committee of the United Nations.  In December 2007 at 
the plenary meeting, 104 states voted to support a 
resolution calling on all states still allowing capital 
punishment Qto place a moratorium on implementing the death 
penalty and subsequently abolish it. 
 
¶4. (U) McPherson wrote that Amnesty International was 
convinced that adoption of such a resolution by the main 
body of the United Nations was an important milestone in 
the eventual worldwide abolition of the death penalty.  By 
February 28, 2008, 135 nations of the world had abolished 
the death penalty in both law and in practice.  McPherson 
believes this resolution is an important instrument with 
which to encourage other nations still using the death 
penalty to reconsider their laws in accordance with an 
emerging international standard, to decrease the number of 
crimes for which the death penalty can be used, and to 
promote discussion in national institutions and among civil 
society groups about placing a moratorium on the death 
penalty. 
 
¶5. (U) At the end of the letter McPherson expressed Amnesty 
InternationalQs hope to continue to work with the 
Government of Uzbekistan to achieve the worldwide 
moratorium on implementation of the death penalties as a 
step to its complete abolition. 
 
Comment: 
-------- 
 
¶6. (U) The Government of Uzbekistan craves international 
praise for its progress in this dimension of human rights 
and is justifiably pleased by recognition from a high- 
profile organization such as Amnesty International. 
Uzbekistan deserves commendation for formally abolishing 
capital punishment, given the risks in how it was applied 
here, but it still has a long way to go to join the 
mainstream on protection of human rights. 
 
NORLAND