Uzbekistan repatriates nineteen citizens trapped in labor exploitation in Ukraine’s Kyiv region

Nineteen Uzbek citizens who had been working in conditions resembling forced labor at a greenhouse in Ukraine’s Kyiv region have been repatriated through the efforts of the Uzbek Embassy and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Photo: Dunyo

Information about the citizens’ situation – involving labor conditions close to forced labor at a greenhouse in the Kyiv region – appeared in local media on September 18. Following the reports, the case was placed under close diplomatic supervision.

The Embassy of Uzbekistan in Ukraine promptly organized a comprehensive set of measures to protect the rights and interests of the affected citizens, restore their legal status, and resolve the necessary documentation and logistical issues for their safe departure from Ukraine.

As a result of negotiations, all 19 citizens were officially granted the status of victims, which ensured that no legal sanctions would be applied to them under Ukrainian law.

With financial support from the IOM offices in Ukraine and Moldova, the Uzbek nationals were transported by road from Kyiv to Chișinău on October 28.

On November 2, accompanied by IOM representatives, they departed on the Chișinău–Istanbul–Urgench flight route and arrived safely in Uzbekistan on November 3.

The Embassy of Uzbekistan in Ukraine continues to monitor the situation of Uzbek citizens in the country, responding promptly to any reports of violations of their rights and legal interests.