The UK is committed to standing up for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) globally. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. Our Embassy in Tashkent regularly raises human rights with the Uzbek authorities and maintains a dialogue with local human rights groups. In Uzbekistan's most recent UN Universal Periodic Review, the UK raised concerns over FoRB amongst other human rights issues and continues to consider when is most impactful and appropriate to raise individual cases.

The UK is committed to championing Freedom of Religion or Belief for all. We highlight this issue at the UN, G7 and as a member of the Article 18 Alliance. Our Embassy in Tashkent regularly raises human rights with the authorities and maintains a dialogue with local human rights groups. In Uzbekistan's most recent UN Universal Periodic Review, the UK raised concerns over freedom of religion or belief amongst other human rights issues. We continue to seek opportunities to raise concerns at the UN and other international fora.

The UK is committed to championing freedom of religion or belief for all. In Uzbekistan's most recent UN Universal Periodic Review, the UK raised concerns regarding upholding freedom of religion or belief amongst other human rights issues. We continue to seek opportunities to raise concerns at the United Nations and in other international fora where appropriate. Our Embassy in Tashkent also regularly raises human rights with the relevant authorities in Uzbekistan and maintains a dialogue with human rights groups in the region.

The UK remains committed to championing freedom of religion or belief for all. Whilst the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs has not made direct representations to his counterparts in Uzbekistan regarding these issues, our Embassy in Tashkent regularly raises human rights with the relevant authorities in Uzbekistan and maintains a dialogue with human rights groups in the region. In Uzbekistan's most recent UN universal periodic review the UK raised our concerns regarding upholding freedom of religious belief amongst other human rights concerns and we continue to seek opportunities to raise concerns where appropriate.

The UK regularly raises concerns about the human rights situation in Uzbekistan with the Uzbek authorities, including during Ministerial meetings. No specific representations have made been on the issue of freedom of religion or belief for religious minorities in recent meetings. However, the Minister for Europe, North America and UK Overseas Territories spoke to Deputy Foreign Minister Madrakhimov on 31 October and raised wider human rights issues. We will continue to monitor changes to legislation that impact minority groups.

HMG has sanctioned every item that Ukraine has found Russia using on the battlefield to date. This includes goods that could be used for drones and heavy machinery.

We maintain a Common High Priority List (CHPL) of items critical to the Russian military, to thwart attempts to circumvent sanctions through third countries.

We continue to engage with relevant countries and monitor our exports for signs of circumvention, to do everything we can to ensure that sanctioned UK technologies do not make it to Russia.

The Home Office publishes data on visas in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the number of study visas granted by nationality, are published in table Vis_D02 of the Entry clearance visas applications and outcomes detailed dataset.

Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data is up to, and including, 2023 Q3 (July to September).

Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.

The British Embassy have set up a registration site that is open to all interested parties. The event is published publicly on the GREAT website, and the Department for Business and Trade and Uzbekistan's Ministry of Investment work together to amplify and raise awareness of the event among businesses. No criteria is applied to those that wish to register and attend.

The Foreign Secretary met Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov on 24 July to discuss how to advance our interests together, and how we can build stronger cooperation. The UK is committed to working with Uzbekistan across our many shared priorities: security, trade, human rights, climate and the war in Ukraine. The Foreign Secretary's travel plans over the next year are yet to be decided, however he is committed to increasing ties with Uzbekistan. The Minister for Europe and Central Asia, Leo Docherty, visited Uzbekistan on 6 June and has since visited the four other Central Asian Republics.

We are aware of Dr Zenz's recent report. To date, the UK Government has taken robust action in response to forced labour concerns. We have provided guidance to UK companies on the risks of doing business in Xinjiang, introduced enhanced export controls, and committed to introduce financial penalties for organisations that do not comply with modern slavery reporting requirements. Additionally, the Procurement Bill enables contracting authorities across the public sector to reject bids and terminate contracts with suppliers which are known to use forced labour themselves or anywhere in their supply chain. We continue to closely monitor the situation in Xinjiang and to keep our policy response under review.

The FCDO carefully monitors the human rights situation in Uzbekistan. We regularly raise human rights issues, including the aftermath of the events in Karakalpakstan and the imprisonment of activists and journalists such as Mr Tazhimuradov, with the Uzbek authorities. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon most recently raised human rights with a senior visiting Uzbek delegation on 19 April. We are clear that the right to peaceful protest and respect for media freedom should be protected.

The UK continues to work closely with Uzbekistan on the evacuation of Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) eligible persons. The Foreign Secretary discussed cooperation on Afghanistan with the Uzbek Foreign Minister at the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) Ministerial Council in December 2022. The Minister for South Asia, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, also discussed evacuations and securing safe passage for those fleeing Afghanistan on several occasions with his counterparts in the Uzbek Government during 2022, and during his visit to Uzbekistan in September 2021.

The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs spoke to the former Uzbek Foreign Minister on 1 December at the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Poland. He also met briefly with the Tajik Foreign Minister at the same event, but has not recently met ministers from Turkmenistan. Lord Ahmad met the Turkmen Foreign Minister last year. We regularly engage with our partners in Central Asia to support reform, encourage trade, and to build a secure and stable region.

On 7 July, Lord Ahmad raised the unrest in Karakalpakstan with the Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister. We have been clear in our communications that the right to peaceful protest and respect for media freedom should be protected. In discussion of these events in multilateral fora, we urged the Uzbek authorities to adhere to their international commitments and due process, as they seek to determine the causes of the violent unrest. We continue to monitor developments closely.

The UK is saddened by the loss of life that occurred during recent events in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan. We understand that initially peaceful protests against plans to change Karakalpakstan's autonomous status within Uzbekistan developed into violent unrest with casualties among civilians and law enforcement personnel. The situation now seems calm. Although there are reports of internet and telephone communications being blocked, we understand that communications in Karakalpakstan have mostly been reinstated, and international and local journalists have been given limited access to the region. The Uzbek authorities have announced an official investigation involving Parliament and civil society.

On 7 July, Lord Ahmad raised the unrest in Karakalpakstan with the Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister and the British Ambassador and his team in Tashkent are also in contact with the Uzbek authorities. We have been clear in our communications that the right to peaceful protest and respect for media freedom should be protected. In discussion of these events in multilateral fora, we urged the Uzbek authorities to adhere to their international commitments and due process, as they seek to understand what happened. We will continue to monitor developments closely.

The UK is saddened by the loss of life that occurred during recent events in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan. We understand that initially peaceful protests against plans to change Karakalpakstan's autonomous status within Uzbekistan developed into violent unrest with casualties among civilians and law enforcement personnel. The situation now seems calm. The Uzbek authorities have announced an official investigation, involving Parliament and civil society.

On 7 July, Lord Ahmad raised the unrest in Karakalpakstan with the Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister and the British Ambassador and his team in Tashkent are also in contact with the Uzbek authorities. We have been clear in our communications that the right to peaceful protest and respect for media freedom should be protected. In discussion of these events in multilateral fora, we urged the Uzbek authorities to adhere to their international commitments and due process, as they seek to understand what happened. We will continue to monitor developments closely.