Despite the fact that the government is taking a number of measures to eradicate forced labor, there are some cases when officials violate this law and the guaranteed labor rights of citizens.

In particular, in the first half of 2020, a total of 28 cases of forced labor were revealed, and administrative fines were imposed on offenders in accordance with the first part of Article 51 of the Code on Administrative Responsibility of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

These cases of forced labor are mainly related to the involvement of employees by officials in territorial improvement or other works which are not part of their duties. The following cases were identified up to date:

• On January 9, 2020, an administrative fine was imposed on the head of the maternity complex of medical association of the Angora district in Surkhandarya region for weekly forced cleaning of the territory of organization by duty staff.
• On January 10, 2020, the head of preschool institution No. 30 of Asaka district of Andijan region was fined for forcing employees to clean cabinets and firewood.
• On January 24-25, 2020, an administrative fine was imposed on the deputy director of a professional college of tourism and hotel industry in Urgench city of the Khorezm region for attracting college students to forced landscaping.
• On February 19, 2020, the rector of the Tashkent Institute of Design, Construction, and Operation of Roads was fined for forcing students of “Bunyodkor” youth group to work.
• On March 11, 2020, the head of the human resources department and the head of the economic department of the branch of the Tashkent State Agrarian University in Nukus city of the Republic of Karakalpakstan was fined for forced involvement of university employees in construction works.
• On April 21, 2020, the director of the secondary school #34 of the Kasansky district of the Kashkadarya region was imposed an administrative fine for pressure on teachers to conduct explanatory discussions with population about the need to plant crops and seedlings.
• On April 24, 2020, R. Rakhmonov, deputy chief of the 18th shop of the Ferghana Oil Refinery, was fined for involving an employee in forced labor in his house.
• On May 6-7, 2020, the khokim of the Bokinsky district of the Tashkent region put pressure on the administration of local secondary schools and forcibly attracted directors and their deputies to improve the territory of the “Youth Square” in the center of the district. As a result, an administrative fine was imposed on the khokim.
• On May 22, 2020, the head of the department of public education of the Narpaysky district of the Samarkand region ordered the directors of schools # 1, 10, 12, and 22 to repair school toilets with the involvement of employees of these schools. As a result, the head of the department of public education of this district was charged with administrative responsibility for forced labor.

If your labor rights are violated, you become a victim or witness of forced labor, you can contact the State Labor Inspectorate on the hot line “1176” of the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations of the Republic of Uzbekistan, on the official website “dmi.mehnat.uz” and through the Telegram bot "@Mehnathuquqbot». Each appeal will be considered in the prescribed manner, and appropriate measures will be taken against the perpetrators. Based on the investigation results of the appeal, detailed information will be provided. Non-disclosure of personal information upon request is guaranteed. 

In addition, the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations recalls that from April 23, 2020, according to article 51 of the Code of Administrative Responsibility of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the size of the fine for forced labor is ranged from 50 to 100 basic calculation units, if this offense is committed in relation to a minor – the size of the fine will be ranged from 70 to 100 basic calculation units. For repeated coercion to work after administrative sanction, criminal liability arises under Article 148.2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan.