1 May. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has lamented this Monday the lack of a “real pluralism” in relation to the constitutional referendum held on Sunday in Uzbekistan and which has had the vote in favor of more than 90 percent. percent of the voters.
OSCE observers have pointed out that there has been a lack of “debate” in this regard and have warned that the approval of these amendments “widely increases the power of the president, Shavkat Mirzioev”, as they have indicated in a statement.
In this sense, the organization has pointed out that “there has been no opposition to these amendments” and has stressed that it is necessary to defend fundamental rights and “demand their respect despite the reforms” recently introduced in the Central Asian country .
Passage of the referendum would guarantee equal rights between men and women, abolish the death penalty and give citizens the ability to appeal to the Constitutional Court.
However, it would also extend the country’s President Shavkat Mirziyoev’s term from five to seven years, and enable him to run for at least two additional terms beyond 2026 — when he would have served his original two terms, after a decade. in power– when the presidential system was modified.
