Secretary of State John F. Kerry sat down Sunday with the leader of Uzbekistan, an authoritarian nation that routinely persecutes government critics, and discussed the potential for cooperation on trade, security and the environment if it improves its human rights record.
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But when a Washington Post reporter called out a question about human rights at the conclusion of Kerry’s meeting with Karimov, an Uzbek official and an American wearing a “diplomatic security” pin each took her by an arm and firmly guided her from the room.
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Sanctions imposed in 2004 over human rights abuses were waived by the White House that year in recognition of Uzbekistan’s supporting role in the war in Afghanistan. That allowed Washington to resume military sales to Uzbekistan, and sanctions have since been waived annually.
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Transparency International lists Uzbekistan as one of the 10 most corrupt nations in the world.
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Now, as then, Uzbekistan has a record of abusing its own citizens that the organization Human Rights Watch labels “atrocious.” The State Department’s own human rights report issued this year includes a long inventory of abuses, such as torture, the detention of hundreds — if not thousands — of political prisoners, endemic corruption and forced labor during the annual cotton harvest.
WaPo
...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.
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