Turkmenistan Continues to Hide Forced Labor in Cotton Fields

Although the season has  yet to officially open, cotton harvesting is already underway in Turkmenistan. As reported by Azatlyk correspondents, workers, including budgetary employees in the Lebap province, are being watched by Ministry of National Security (MNS) officers. These officers, tasked with preventing information about forced labor being leaked, have forbidden the use of cell phones in the fields. Turkmenistan has long been criticized for its use of forced labor on cotton plantations, and authorities continue to hide the reality. The increased control by security agencies coincides with a briefing in Ashgabat on measures discussed in collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO), to eradicate child and forced labor. Despite official bans, including an order issued by Labor Minister Muhammetseyit Sylabov in July this year prohibiting the employment of children under 18, child labor continues in some regions, including Kerki and Chardjev etraps, and teachers confirm that high school students, with their parents' consent, participate in cotton picking. At the same time, cotton pickers complain about underpayment. Employers also repeatedly renege on promised rates of pay and in Lebap, citing the poor quality of the cotton harvested, are known to withhold up to 50% of their workers' salaries, leading to inevitable conflict. Despite orders issued by the authorities to increase pickers' wages in accordance with the state's  procurement prices for cotton, the workers' situation shows no sign of improving.