DUSHANBE, April 26, Asia-Plus — United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour arrived in Dushanbe yesterday.
According to the UNDP CO, the same day, she met with resident representatives of a number of UN agencies active in Tajikistan. The meeting considered issues related a progress of projects and programs implemented by the agencies in Tajikistan.
Today, Ms. Arbour is scheduled to hold discussions with senior representatives from civil society groups. The meeting is supposed to focus on the human rights situation in Tajikistan.
During her visit, the High Commissioner will also hold talks with high-ranking Tajik state officials. On April 27, she will meet with President Emomali Rahmon and Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi, according to the source.
Ms. Arbour is also scheduled to give a news conference in Dushanbe tomorrow afternoon.
The High Commissioner”s visit to Tajikistan aims at increasing her Office”s engagement in the region. The visit will allow her to discuss future cooperation and issues of mutual concern with Tajik Government and other key actors in the country. She hopes that the visit will enhance dialogue and technical cooperation between her Office and the Government and people of Tajikistan.
The visit to Tajikistan is part of her first four-country tour to Central Asia. The first leg of her tour of Central Asia was visit to Kyrgyzstan on April 24-25. The High Commissioner will also be visiting Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
In the meantime, International Herald Tribune Uzbekistan”s government effectively barred the United Nations” human rights commissioner from visiting the tightly controlled country during a tour of ex-Soviet nations in Central Asia, the commissioner said Wednesday. Starting her tour in neighboring Kyrgyzstan, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said Uzbek authorities had told her office that officials would not be available to meet her. “To our request for a meeting, Uzbek authorities said they would have no time,” Arbour said.
After meeting with Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and other officials in the capital, Bishkek, Arbour said she was concerned about frequent cases of domestic violence against Kyrgyz women, including the abduction of young women for forced marriage.
