On January 26, Uzbekistan's Deputy Foreign Minister Olimjon Abdullaev met with Russian Ambassador Alexey Erkhov, as reported by the Foreign Ministry's press service.
During the discussions, the main focus was on the issues of protecting the rights of Uzbek citizens working in Russia. The negotiations also involved the Consuls General of Uzbekistan, representatives of the Russian consular department, as well as staff from migration services and law enforcement agencies.
“The Uzbek side emphasized the importance of preventing any forms of violation of the rights and human dignity of Uzbek citizens, both those who comply with the laws and those who may have violated migration regulations, during inspections and raids,” the official statement noted.
The parties reached a consensus on the necessity of conducting regular consular consultations and bilateral meetings to enhance the level of interaction and strengthen cooperation.
This meeting took place just a week after Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed concern over violations of the rights of Uzbek citizens abroad. At a meeting on January 15, he noted that public discontent is growing due to violations of the rights of labor migrants during various inspections, and the response from the Foreign Ministry is often limited to official notes.
“Ambassadors and consuls must provide qualified legal assistance and protect the rights of our citizens abroad in each specific case,” the president emphasized.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev also noted that diplomats should move away from "office diplomacy" and actively visit places such as construction sites, dormitories, and educational institutions where Uzbeks are located, to better understand their problems and work on their solutions.
It is worth noting that Russia, a key destination for labor migrants from Uzbekistan, has significantly tightened its migration policy in recent years, complicating the lives of Uzbek workers.
