15.07.2020
A National Human Rights Dialogue took place in the context of restrictions imposed due to COVID-19. The event was organized by the National Center for Human Rights of the Republic of Uzbekistan (NCHR).
The partners of the online forum are the United Nations Country Office in Uzbekistan and the Office of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in the country.
The dialogue followed the visit of the UN and OSCE officials to the quarantine center in Urtasaray on June 24, organized by the Deputy Prime Minister Aziz Abdukhakimov and the First Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Director of NCHR, Professor Akmal Saidov.
First Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Akmal Saidov, noted that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights welcomed the fact that a number of governments and international organizations are taking important steps to mitigate the impact of the fight against COVID-19 virus on human rights, especially economic and social rights. In this regard, it is worth noting that in Uzbekistan all necessary measures are being taken to eliminate this threat. The most important thing is that human interests take precedence over everything else.
OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, John MacGregor praised the active efforts of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
By the order of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, a Special Republican Commission was organized in a timely manner and is preparing a program of measures to prevent the spread of a new type of coronavirus in the country. Subsequently, decisions were made to suspend air, rail and road communication with other states, and to close pre-school, secondary and higher education institutions. A progressive package of economic measures has been adopted to mitigate the impact of the crisis on relatively vulnerable sectors of the economy. An Anti-Crisis Fund under the Ministry of Finance has been created with an initial amount of 10 trillion UZS ($1 billion). Business entities were granted tax holidays, a number of other tax benefits and deferred loan payments. Social assistance was organized for the most vulnerable groups of the population.
Special medical institutions and quarantine zones have been organized to effectively combat coronavirus in all regions of the country. A special quarantine zone for 20 thousand places was commissioned in Tashkent region, 10 thousand of which have already been transferred for operation. The construction of a modern modular clinic with 10 thousand beds has been completed.
In order to minimize the spread of the disease, a wide explanatory work is carried out among the population, including using social networks. Measures are being taken to return Uzbekistan citizens living abroad.
