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US should publicly press Central Asian governments, says academic and rights lawyer
Summary
Steve Swerdlow, a human-rights lawyer and academic, urged high-level U.S. public advocacy, legislative action and steps to secure political-prisoner releases across Central Asia, citing forced psychiatric detention and long sentences for critics.
Steve Swerdlow, who identified himself as an associate professor and said he leads an organization called The Detained, told the commission that political prisoners across Central Asia are increasingly subject to harsh penalties including long prison terms and forced psychiatric detention. He said some detainees, including opposition figures and journalists, have been repeatedly tortured or detained under arbitrary pretexts.
Swerdlow argued that U.S. officials, including the secretary of state and other senior diplomats, should raise these cases publicly and regularly. "They want to hear high level U.S. officials raising these issues regularly, not just behind closed doors," he said, and urged Congress to introduce or support legislation to condition assistance on measurable human-rights improvements and to support efforts that secure prisoner releases.
He cited examples of prisoners designated by human-rights organizations and recommended legislative and diplomatic levers to increase pressure on repressive governments while supporting local civil-society groups.
