The European Union condemned the execution by Uzbekistan...

The European Union condemned the execution by Uzbekistan of six people accused of planting bombs which killed 16 people in Tashkent. The Portuguese EU presidency said it "strongly deplores" the executions. It did not say when they were carried out but executions are not always announced. The 15-nation EU urged Uzbekistan not to carry out further executions and said it should introduce the moratorium as a first step forwards its abolition. "The EU considers that the abolition of the death penalty contributes to the enhancement of human dignity and the progressive development of human rights," it said. President Islam Karimov narrowly escaped the bomb attacks last February. Karimov has cracked down hard on suspected plotters, and human rights groups have described the operation as indiscriminate and brutal. Karimov blamed the bomb attacks on radical Moslems bent on overthrowing his rule. They shattered Uzbekistan's reputation for stability in a volatile part of the world.