Uzbekistan: Cotton, Wheat Farmers Exploited, Abused

(Human Rights Watch) 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 production in Uzbekistan still creates a risk of forced labor for cotton and wheat farmers. The government should ensure compliance with recent laws and decrees that offer farmers better rights protections, end the quota system, and engage farmers in policy discussions around agricultural reforms. – Uzbekistan: Cotton, Wheat Farmers Exploited, Abused | Human Rights Watch