  |
| Chopard’s Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele |
The company’s spokeswoman, Daphne Secretan, has confirmed that she has received Uznews.net’s questions and has promised to answer them within the next few days. Meanwhile, she said she had nothing to say about new cooperation and the company’s new partner.
Chopard will exhibit Karimova’s Guli jewelleries as part of its collection in Basel between 26 March and 2 April, and will afterwards sell them in its 150 boutiques worldwide.
Chopard’s cooperation with the daughter of President Islam Karimov who has claimed notoriety in the world after massacring a rally in Andijan on 13 May 2005 and imprisoning thousands of dissidents has caused negative reaction from people who observe the situation in Uzbekistan.
Newsweek enlisted Karimov among the world’s five worst tyrants earlier this year, along with the leaders of Burma, Zimbabwe, Equatorial Guinea and Sudan.
Charges of genocide and crimes against humanity have been brought by the International Criminal Court against Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir for killings in Darfur.
Human rights lawyers believe that the Andijan massacre is also a crime against humanity.
In addition to her father’s actions, Gulnara Karimova also raises concerns, for example sources of her riches. Witnesses say that she has raided entrepreneurs to force them to cede their businesses to her.
Andrew Shroehlein, the International Crisis Group’s media director, believes that Chopard should have conducted an investigation before cooperating with Karimova.
I would recommend Chopard to learn about the Uzbek regime not to tarnish its public image like many textile companies that used Uzbek cotton, he said.
He thinks that Chopard still has time to reconsider its decision because affiliation with one of the world’s most autocratic dictators does not help business.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.