UN Committee Against Torture raised the question of Violence against LGBT persons in Uzbekistan

On 11-13 November within the 68th session of UN Committee against Torture (CAT), Uzbekistan is under its fifth country review.

In May 2019 ECOM in cooperation with Central Asian groups submitted report to the UN CAT on Human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Uzbekistan for the List of Issues and later prepared report for the country review.

Together with Humans Rights Defenders from Uzbekistan and international organisation during the Country Review, ECOM Human Rights and Legal Issues Officer advocated for the inclusion of the SOGI-related recommendations.

As a result, UN CAT issued the concluding observation which includes separated block on LGBT.

Violence against LGBT persons

63. The Committee is concerned at reports that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons are subjected to violence and torture while in detention and to persecution by the police, including through entrapment schemes carried out using websites, threatening videos and extortion, as well as to violence by private persons. The Committee is concerned that the State party indicated that it has no cases open of cases involving violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender persons, and at reports that the criminalization of same-sex sexual relations in article 120 of the Code of Criminal Procedure renders lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people particularly vulnerable to violence by both law enforcement officials and private persons, as they are reluctant to seek protection from violence from the authorities for fear of being arrested (arts. 2, 12, 13, 14 and 16).

64. The State party should undertake prompt, effective, impartial investigations of all allegations of torture and ill-treatment perpetrated against lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender persons by or with the consent or acquiescence of public officials. The State party also should take measures to prevent violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender persons on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity, including repealing article 120 of the Criminal Code and ensuring that its complaints mechanisms are accessible to and capable of facilitating effective protection for lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender persons who are victims of or at risk of violence.

ECOM asks Uzbekistan government to repeal the 120 article of Criminal Code and ready to support it in the development of preventing measures to stop the violence against LGBT in Uzbekistan.