In Uzbekistan, ‘Farmers Have No Freedom’

In Uzbekistan, ‘Farmers Have No Freedom’

A new report exposes abuse and exploitation of cotton and wheat farmers in Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan: Cotton, Wheat Farmers Exploited, Abused

The Uzbekistan government is violating the human and labor rights of cotton and wheat farmers through a coercive state production system, Human Rights Watch and Uzbek Forum for Human Rights said in a report released today. These abuses continue despite recent agricultural reforms.

Uzbek Farmers Trapped in Cycle of Coercion Despite Reforms

The Uzbek government has spent years presenting its agricultural reforms as a triumph of modernization—an escape from the Soviet-era forced labor system and a step toward a market-driven economy. Yet, beneath the surface of official declarations, the reality for farmers remains one of coercion, financial instability, and systemic vulnerability. The latest report by Human Rights Watch and the Uzbek… Source

“Farmers Have No Freedom”: Abuse and Exploitation of Cotton and Wheat Farmers in Uzbekistan

The Uzbek government is violating the human and labor rights of cotton and wheat farmers through a coercive state production system, including penalties such as land seizure for not meeting quotas. Though the government has ended state-imposed forced labor of cotton pickers in the cotton harvest and has committed to broader reforms, the remaining system of strategic crop cultivation and… Source