Strasbourg, 24/10/2003 (Agence Europe) - During its emergency debate on Thursday, the EP adopted a resolution on "Turkmenistan, including Central Asia", calling upon the Council to adopt a common strategy for the republics of Central Asia in order to make EU relations with these countries more effective and coherent. Parliament is reviewing the situation in the five countries in question. It particularly condemns the worsening human rights situation in Turkmenistan. It calls upon the authorities of this country to undertake impartial inquiries into the deaths of several prisoners and into allegations of torture and ill treatment, and to allow: - opposition political parties to register; - the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit prisoners; - freedom of operation for NGOs. They are also invited to respect freedom of religion, and to carry out a rapid transition to democracy and the rule of law. The EP also calls for the unconditional release of political prisoners in Kazakhstan; the government of this country is invited to reform its laws on the crime of defamation, which is an obstacle to press freedom. Parliament is also concerned, but to a lesser extent, by press freedom in Kyrghykistan. Freedom of expression is still being swept aside in Tajikistan, notes the EP, which calls for an end to pressure and acts of intimidation against journalists. Lastly, the Parliament invites the government of Uzbekistan to put an end to the persecution of defenders of human rights, to respect freedom of expression and to set Ruslan Sharipov free immediately.