In Surkhandarya region, an incident occurred that sparked major public discussions around the cotton harvesting season. After a video surfaced showing the deputy hokim of Sariosiyo district and head of the Family and Women’s Affairs Department, Dilfuza Toshmatova, forcing local women activists to participate in cotton picking, the situation drew wide public attention.
The Ministry of Poverty Reduction and Employment conducted a special investigation regarding the incident. The inspection confirmed that Toshmatova had instructed community activists to mobilize 5–10 women each for cotton picking.
According to official reports, she was fined under Article 51, Part 1 of the Administrative Responsibility Code (forced labor). The penalty amounted to 50 times the base calculation value, which equals 20 million 600 thousand soums.
The Ministry emphasized in its statement:
“According to Article 5 of the Labor Code, forced labor is strictly prohibited. In case of violations, under Article 51 of the Administrative Responsibility Code, fines ranging from 50 to 100 times the base calculation value may be imposed.”
It was also reminded that citizens can report cases of forced labor through the short number 1176 or via the hotline (71) 200-06-00. Authorities guaranteed that the personal data of complainants will be kept confidential.
Experts note that this case can be seen as another test of the state’s policy against forced labor. The public, in turn, has expressed satisfaction that the rule of law was upheld.
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