The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces an
open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects that increase
transparency in citizens’ rights to due process.
Uzbekistan’s constitution and law prohibit arbitrary arrest and detention and provide for the
right of any person to challenge the lawfulness of his or her arrest or detention in court.
Additionally, by law a judge must review any decision to arrest accused individuals or suspects.
Judges grant arrest warrants in most cases. Detention without formal charges is limited to 48
hours, although a prosecutors may request that a judge extend detention an additional 48
hours, after which the person must be charged or released. Judges typically grant such
requests, and the judge who issues such an extension is often the same one who presided over
the trial, which creates incentives to cover up violations. The arresting authority is required to
notify a relative of a detainee of the detention and to question the detainee within 24 hours of
arrest. Visibility into arrest procedures and treatment of detainees is low, even for family
members of detainees and Uzbekistani civil society engaged on the issue of due process.
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Through this award, DRL aims to support the safe, secure, and professional collection of credible
information on political detainees by Uzbekistani media, Civil Society Organizations, (CSOs) and
human rights defenders, for human rights reporting and advocacy and to improve the capacity of
Uzbekistani CSOs to advocate for transparency and improved conditions in detention facilities.