Rights Group Alleges Uzbek Cover-Up

[shawn703]

A U.S.-based rights group accused the Uzbek government Thursday of covering up the truth about a violent crackdown in the city of Andijan, and it urged Western governments to push harder for an international inquiry.

Human Rights Watch's call for an investigation comes as President Islam Karimov visits China, which has backed his government and has been watching Uzbekistan warily ever since the United States deployed troops at a base there following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

The rights group said Uzbek authorities have taken severe measures to prevent residents of Andijan from speaking out about what happened on May 13, when government troops fired at demonstrators after armed militants stormed a local prison and government headquarters.

Karimov blamed the violence on Islamic extremists and denied charges that troops fired on unarmed civilians. The government said 169 people, mostly militants, were killed, while activists put the death toll at up to 750.


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