On 5 October 2018, International Partnership for Human Rights and Association for Human Rights in Central Asia wrote to French President Emmanuel Macron asking him to use the occasion of the first state visit to France of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan on 8 October 2018 to call for concrete improvements in the area of fundamental rights to build on the process of opening witnessed in Uzbekistan over the past two years. The organizations requested President Macron to raise the following issues in his discussions with President Mirziyoyev and urge him to implement the following recommendations:
- Ensure justice for those convicted in unfair trials, and ensure accountability for past abuses;
- Endow the judiciary with full independence and ensure transparent court proceedings;
- End widespread torture and other ill-treatment;
- Improve prison conditions and give independent experts access to detention facilities for human rights monitoring;
- De-criminalize homosexuality.