Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday urged the EU to press for human rights reforms in Central Asia during an upcoming meeting.

Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU, was set to have a virtual meeting with foreign ministers of five Central Asian countries—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan—at the 16th EU-Central Asia Ministerial Meeting Tuesday. The EU strategy behind ministerial meetings with these countries has been to promote democracy, human rights, and the rule of law through dialogue and strengthening of bilateral relations.

According to HRW, Central Asian countries’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have led to deteriorating human rights situations. There have been arbitrary detentions and unwarranted targeting of journalists and health workers. Furthermore, the lack of information provided by Turkmen officials of COVID-19 cases in the country has been a cause of distress for human rights activists.

Additionally, the recent parliamentary election in Kyrgyzstan that resulted in political turmoil due to reports of electoral fraud, has caused political instability and has been considered a threat to human rights in the country.

HRW called on the EU to make human rights concerns the main agenda for this ministerial meeting. The group hopes that the EU’s influence will provide an impetus for Central Asian countries to improve human rights and stop arbitrarily detaining and torturing government critics.