QALAMPIR.UZ investigation results in punishment for forcing librarians to pick cotton

QALAMPIR.UZ received a complaint stating that employees of the Abu Ali Ibn Sino Information and Library Center in the Bukhara region were forced to participate in the cotton harvest. The reported incident has been confirmed, and the head of the center has been penalized. This was announced by the Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction.

According to the Ministry, Nasiba Aminova, the head of the Abu Ali Ibn Sino Information and Library center in Bukhara city, was fined under Article 51, part 1 of the Code of Administrative Responsibility (Administrative coercion to labor). The article stipulates that any form of administrative coercion of labor shall result in a fine ranging from 50 to 100 basic calculation units, equivalent to between 20 million and 41 million soums.

The complaint was sent to QALAMPIR.UZ alleged that on October 5 this year, 32 employees of the information and library center picked 1,503 kilograms of cotton at a farm in the Bukhara district. The complainant also stated that they had contacted the Ministry of Labor hotline but were informed that anonymous complaints would not be accepted.

When the editorial office contacted the Information and Library Center to clarify the situation, the Center’s administration provided a letter of consent signed by the employees, stating that they had voluntarily participated in the cotton harvest to earn additional income.

According to the Ministry of Poverty Reduction and Employment, the State Labor Inspectorate identified 74 cases of labor law violations during this year’s cotton harvesting season. Administrative penalties were imposed on officials under Article 49, part 1 of the Administrative Liability Code (Violation of labor and occupational safety laws). Eight officials were fined under Article 51, part 1 (Administrative coercion to work). In addition, assistance was provided in formalizing seasonal employment contracts with more than 1,400 cotton pickers.

It was earlier confirmed that Nigora Jumayeva, Deputy Governor of Kumkurgan district, had instructed women’s committee representatives to recruit pickers for the cotton harvest. She was fined under Article 51, part 1 of the Administrative Liability Code (Administrative coercion to work).