JURIST - Paper Chase: Uzbekistan court closes another western NGO

[JURIST] The Tashkent City Court in Uzbekistan [JURIST news archive] Wednesday ordered the closure of another US nongovernmental organization (NGO) operating in the country, stating the group's failure to provide accurate information about its activities as one of the chief reasons. Crosslink Development International [NGO website] is the most recent activist group forced to close its offices in Uzbekistan as part of the country's crackdown on western NGOs. The organization has been helping low-income families in Uzbekistan set up small businesses among other projects since its founding in 1992. The Uzbek Justice Ministry [official website] said earlier this month that the loans provided by the organization were given in cash, which is against Uzbek law.

Earlier this week, Uzbek officials ordered the US-based nonprofit group Winrock International [NGO website] to end its operations in the country as well. News agency press-uz.info [media website] reported that Uzbek officials accused the group of publishing a book that misquotes the Koran and shooting video footage that "distorts conditions for Uzbek women." Uzbek courts have also closed [JURIST report] the local office of the American Bar Association Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative (ABA/CEELI) and the local offices of the US-based human rights group Freedom House [JURIST report], the Eurasia Foundation and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. RFE/RL has more.

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