Three Uzbek Human Rights Defenders Receive International Award

The International Labour Rights Forum (ILRF) has granted the International Workers’ Rights Defenders Awards 2016 to Uzbek human rights defenders, including Dmitry Tikhonov, Elena Urlaeva and Uktam Pardaev.

The award gives recognition to theveryimportant workof the Uzbekactivists, and acknowledges their leadership, bravery anddedicationin the nameof eradicating the forced laborsystemin the Uzbek cotton sector.

At the end of 2015, the Uzbek authorities had forced Dmitry Tikhonov to leave the country, had fabricated a criminal case against Uktam Pardayev and had denied Elena Urlaeva an exit visa.

The award ceremony will be held in Washington in May 2016.