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<p>We, along with our European partners, have raised the case of Mr Abdurakhmanov
with the Uzbek authorities at Ministerial and official level on several occasions.
The Senior Minister of State, my noble Friend the Rt. Hon. Baroness Warsi, raised
this issue with the Uzbek Foreign Minister when he visited London last November. Our
Embassy in Tashkent is in contact with the Uzbek human rights organisation, Ezgulik,
which visited Mr. Abdurakhmanov in custody in January. Baroness Warsi discussed a
range of human rights issues, including freedom of expression, with Ministers and
senior officials when she visited Uzbekistan earlier this month.</p><p>Foreign and
Commonwealth Office (FCO) reporting has consistently highlighted our concerns about
freedom of the press and harassment of journalists in Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan remains
on the list of Countries of Concern in the FCO's annual Human Rights and Democracy
Report, reflecting longstanding concerns about the overall human rights situation
in Uzbekistan. Our Embassy in Tashkent regularly raises these issues with the Uzbek
authorities and funds projects that support good governance and human rights. We also
continue to encourage further progress towards full implementation of Uzbekistan's
international human rights commitments.</p>
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