Uzbekistan summons Russian envoy over migrant rights violations

On May 2, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Bobur Usmanov met with Russian Ambassador Oleg Malginov.

According to the Foreign Ministry’s press service, during the meeting, the Uzbek side drew attention to the increasing number of reports about violations of the rights of Uzbek labor migrants and cases of mistreatment in the Russian Federation.

"It was emphasized that such incidents constitute a breach of the rights and freedoms of Uzbek citizens working in Russia, and that these rights and freedoms must be guaranteed in accordance with the laws of the host country,” the statement read.

The ministry further noted the importance of thoroughly investigating the issue and conveying Uzbekistan’s concerns to the relevant Russian authorities.

Previously, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had stated that authorized bodies were looking into reports claiming that more than a thousand Uzbek citizens had been recruited by Russia to participate in the war in Ukraine.

According to a list provided by the Ukrainian side, nearly 1,100 individuals reportedly of Uzbek nationality were named, along with their full names, birth dates, dates of signing contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense, personal military service numbers, and in 109 cases, dates of death. Among the deceased, the youngest had not yet turned 22, and another had died only eight days after signing a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense.

On April 29, the first joint meeting between relevant agencies of Uzbekistan and Russia on ensuring the protection of citizens’ rights in both countries was held in Moscow. A memorandum signed at the conclusion of the meeting stated that the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office committed to strengthening oversight to ensure the rights of Uzbek migrants are respected. In turn, Uzbekistan’s Prosecutor General’s Office pledged to enhance monitoring of the rights of Russian citizens residing in Uzbekistan.