Yelling and Fist-banging at UN Review of Uzbekistan's Torture Record

The Central Asian nation of Uzbekistan has ratified the UN Convention Against Torture (CAT) in 1995, but torture remains a “systematic practice” in the country according to a recent report [pdf]. As the UN anti-torture committee met to review Uzbekistan's implementation of the CAT, Steve Swerdlow (@steveswerdlow) tweeted live from Geneva.

Below are just some of Swerdlow's tweets, indicating that the Uzbekistani authorities prefer to deal with allegations of torture, forced sterilization of women, and use of ‘slave labor’ to harvest cotton primarily through yelling, screaming, and insulting experts:

Torture is widely used in Uzbekistan, according to several recent reports. Screenshot from video "Massacre in Uzbekistan (Trailer)" uploaded on YouTube by Mulberry Media on July 13, 2012.

Torture is widely used in Uzbekistan, according to several recent reports. Screenshot from video “Massacre in Uzbekistan (Trailer)” uploaded on YouTube by Mulberry Media on July 13, 2012.

Uzbekistan has also been accused of routinely using 'slave labor' to harvest cotton.  "Cotton Pickers" by peretzp, September 20, 2009 (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Uzbekistan has also been accused of routinely using ‘slave labor’ to harvest cotton. “Cotton Pickers” by peretzp, September 20, 2009 (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Steve Swerdlow is Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch.

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