"U.S. Decisions fail forced labor victims Uzbekistan placement supports state-sponsored forced labor", The Cotton Campaign, 27 July 2015

Today the U.S. government upgraded the Uzbek government’s ranking in its 2015 Trafficking in Persons Report despite noting that “government-compelled forced labor of adults remains endemic.” The unwarranted decision decreases pressure on the authorities in Tashkent to end forced labor...“The failure to classify Uzbekistan properly is wholly inconsistent with the well-documented evidence of its systematic human rights abuse,” said Nadejda Ataeva...“The U.S. effectively sent a message to Uzbek authorities that forced labor of millions of its citizens is cost-free.” The Uzbek government continues to operate one of the largest state-orchestrated systems of forced labor in the world. Furthermore, authorities suppress any attempts by citizens to report on these abuses and continue to publicly deny the use of forced labor...“The practice of forced labor in Uzbekistan has persisted for far too long and should be urgently ended,” said Umida Niyazova...“This year’s report missed a crucial opportunity to end this abominable practice sooner.”