Uzbeks vote for new parliament; opposition barred from election

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan -- Uzbeks voted in a parliamentary election Sunday in which opposition groups were barred from running, sparking criticism from Europe's top election watchdog and a fierce defense from the country's authoritarian president, who insisted Uzbekistan has no "real" opposition.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which sent 21 observers, has said Uzbekistan provided insufficient conditions for a democratic vote. OSCE said its presence should not be construed as a sign that the vote was legitimate.

"The OSCE cannot have the exclusive right to assess elections," President Islam Karimov said Sunday after casting his ballot at a polling station in the capital, Tashkent. "It represents Europe while we're in Central Asia."

Uzbekistan is a member of the OSCE.

The former Soviet republic has hosted U.S. troops near its border with Afghanistan since 2001. But Washington has cut aid to this country, citing its lack of progress on democratic reforms.

"OSCE observers don't like the calm situation in which the elections are held and they are surprised why there's no fierce competition," Karimov said, defending the inactive campaigns of the candidates, all of whom represent the five parties loyal to Karimov.

None of Uzbekistan's four small opposition groups are formally recognized. They said authorities rejected their registration requests.

Some opposition parties have urged voters to boycott the elections.

After polls closed at 8 p.m., election officials announced an 85.1 percent turnout, far more than the minimum 33 percent required to make the poll valid.

Central Election Commission spokesman Zherzod Kudratkhodjayev said no irregularities were reported during the vote. "The election went off in line with the law," he said.

Karimov said Sunday that the country had no "real" opposition and that the existing opposition groups had no popular support.

Leader of the opposition Erk Party, Atonazar Arifov, said Sunday's poll showed that "the government doesn't want either democratic rule or free elections with real competition."

The vote caps a year of growing public discontent over the lack of freedoms and a series of deadly attacks blamed on radical Islamic groups.

The few voters who trickled into polling stations in Tashkent expressed cynicism.

"Probably my vote will not decide anything," Andrei Burdin said.

Gennadiy Stepanov said he did not choose any candidate on the ballot because "my vote won't change anything."

Many appeared to have ignored the vote altogether.

"Nobody needs this election because life is only getting worse," said Khikmatulla Soatov, 45, selling flowers at Tashkent's bustling Chorsu bazaar.

"Even if I vote, my life won't change," said vendor Abdillah, 37. "I used to own three shops and now am standing here selling sweets." He gave only his first name.

Karimov, a former Communist boss, has ruled with an iron fist since 1989 and drawn international criticism for his poor human rights record. Rights groups say torture is systematic in Uzbek jails, where authorities hold up to 6,000 dissident Muslims for alleged religious extremism.

Uzbekistan is one of Central Asia's poorest nations and is widely viewed as having a poor business climate. Last month it saw large demonstrations against new trade restrictions, raising fears of more outbreaks of public discontent.