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		</div><p><a href="http://londonglossy.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/clegg-rights-call-could-upset-hosts.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full" title="Nick Clegg's call on human rights could upset his hosts" src="http://londonglossy.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/min-clegg-rights-call-could-upset-hosts.jpg" alt="Nick Clegg's call on human rights could upset his hosts"/></a></p>
<p>Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has risked upsetting his hosts at an international summit in Kazakhstan by issuing a forthright demand for all participating states to protect human rights.</p>
<p>Addressing the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe summit in Kazakh capital Astana, Mr Clegg said that some members were falling short of their commitments.</p>
<p>He insisted that human rights were not a Western concept, but applied to all 56 members of the OSCE, who had a &#8220;duty&#8221; to treat their own people with &#8220;dignity and respect&#8221;.</p>
<p>Kazakhstan has come under fire for its human rights record, with Amnesty International warning in its 2010 annual report that torture and ill-treatment of suspects by security forces remains &#8220;widespread&#8221;, while confessions extracted under torture are admitted as evidence in courts.</p>
<p>The human rights group noted that freedom of expression and freedom of religion continue to be restricted in the central Asian state.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, an OSCE report on the 2007 Kazakh parliamentary elections &#8211; in which the ruling party won all 98 contested seats &#8211; criticised shortcomings in the country&#8217;s electoral practices, including a ban on independent candidates and restrictions on the formation of political parties.</p>
<p>In his speech to the OSCE, Mr Clegg made no direct reference to Kazakhstan&#8217;s record.</p>
<p>But he said it was &#8220;essential&#8221; that all members are &#8220;steadfast in our defence of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law&#8221;.</p>
<p>And he added: &#8220;These commitments&#8230; are not a reflection of Western values; not Eastern values either. They are the fundamental rights of all people, everywhere.</p>
<p>&#8220;Yet, still, there are participating states who are not meeting their commitments.&#8221;</p>
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