Leaders rebuked for silence on human rights abuses

TOO many governments, including members of the EU, are not standing up against abusive leaders and insisting they respect human rights the international organisation, Human Rights Watch, said in its annual report.

The report coincided with the visit to Brussels of the controversial Uzbek president Islam Karimov, where European Commission president, Jose Manuel Barroso met him to discuss energy and security cooperation.

The EU signed an agreement to establish a delegation office in Tashkent which they say will strengthen the EU’s voice on the ground. They signed a memorandum on energy relations and discussed economic and trade issues.