OSCE Project Co-Ordinator in Uzbekistan co-organizes online conference on judicial and penitentiary systems to mark Nelson Mandela International Day

The OSCE Project Co-Ordinator in Uzbekistan held an online conference on national and international experiences in liberalizing judicial and penitentiary systems on 17 July 2020, to mark Nelson Mandela International Day. The event was jointly organized with the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Oliy Majlis (parliament) of the Republic of Uzbekistan (Ombudsperson), the national movement Yuksalish, the UN Country Team and the regional office of NGO Prison Reform International in Central Asia (PRI).

The event was attended by Ombudspersons of the Central Asian republics, national and international experts, deputies of the Legislative Chamber and members of Senate of the Oliy Majlis, representatives of the authorities, civil society, international organizations based in the country, as well as the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

“As part of their commitment to treating individuals in detention with humanity and respecting their inherent dignity, OSCE participating States have committed to observing the internationally recognized standards relating to the administration of justice and the human rights of detainees. Those standards include the Mandela Rules,” said John McGregor, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, in his welcome speech. He added that the OSCE has been working with the Ombudsperson institution and many other partners to advance OSCE commitments related to the national Action Strategy reforms that will bring about real change in the administration of true justice and the penitentiary system.

The OSCE Project Co-Ordinator in Uzbekistan is currently implementing an extra-budgetary Project on the “Support to the Establishment of a National Preventive Mechanism in Uzbekistan”, with the support from the Governments of Norway and Italy.