When Security Threatens Human Rights: Reviewing the Case of Central Asia – Vera Axyonova

Title: When Security Threatens Human Rights: Reviewing the Case of Central Asia
Author: Vera Axyonova

When Security Threatens Human Rights: Reviewing the Case of Central Asia [Axyonova]

Abstract

On joining the OSCE, states undertake comprehensive human-rights commitments. How have the states of Central Asia, whose regimes are not known for their progressive character in such matters, balanced concerns for security with human rights? The paper examines four incidents of human-rights abuses by state security forces. It further critically considers the efforts of the EU and the OSCE to pursue a security agenda while also promoting human rights in Central Asia; the latter have often suffered at the hands of the former. This looks set to continue as the focus on “hard security” issues remains.

Keywords

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE); Central Asian States of the former Soviet Union; human rights violations; European Union; security sector reform; perceptions of threat (security policy); foreign policies of groups of states

Metadata

Title: When Security Threatens Human Rights: Reviewing the Case of Central Asia
Author: Vera Axyonova
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/18750230-02402007
Language: English
Year: 2013
Volume: 24
Issue: 2
Pages: 159–168
In: Security and Human Rights
E-ISSN: 1875-0230