A joint resolution expressing the sense of Congress with respect to human rights in Central Asia.

Declares the sense of the Congress that the Governments of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan should accelerate democratic reforms and fulfill their human rights obligations.

Includes among such reforms and actions: (1) releasing from prison all those jailed for peaceful political activism or the nonviolent expression of their political or religious beliefs; (2) fully investigating any credible allegations of torture and prosecuting those responsible; (3) permitting the free and unfettered functioning of independent media outlets, independent political parties, and nongovernmental organizations, whether officially registered or not; (4) permitting the free exercise of religious beliefs and ceasing the persecution of members of religious groups and denominations not registered with the state; (5) holding free, competitive, and fair elections; and (6) making publicly available documentation of their revenues and punishing those engaged in official corruption.

Declares that increased levels of U.S. assistance to the Central Asian governments made possible by their cooperation in the war in Afghanistan can be sustained only if there is substantial and continuing progress towards meeting these goals.

Calls for the President, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense to: (1) continue to raise specific cases of political and religious persecution with the Central Asian governments and urge greater respect for human rights and democratic freedoms; (2) consider progress in meeting such goals when determining diplomatic engagement and foreign assistance; (3) ensure that provisions of the Foreign Operations Appropriations Act are fully implemented to ensure that no U.S. assistance benefits security forces in Central Asia implicated in human rights violations; (4) follow the recommendations of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom by designating Turkmenistan a Country of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 and by making clear that Uzbekistan risks designation if conditions there do not improve; (5) press the Turkmenistan Government to respect the right of imprisoned opposition leader Boris Shikmuradov to due process and a fair trial and release democratic activists and their families from prison; (6) urge the Russian Government not to extradite to Turkmenistan members of that country's political opposition; (7) work with the Government of Kazakhstan to create a political climate free of intimidation and harassment and to reduce official corruption; and (8) support through U.S. assistance programs those individuals, non-governmental organizations, and media outlets in Central Asia working to build more open societies, support the victims of human rights abuses, and expose official corruption.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov