Late last week, Elena Urlaeva, head of the Human Rights Alliance of Uzbekistan, was released after a concerted international campaign. Urlaeva was arrested earlier this month as she was preparing to go to an international conference. Urlaeva is an outspoken critic of forced and child labour in Uzbekistan's cotton sector. Her arrest is a reminder of the lengths to which the Uzbekistan government will go to protect its profits from the annual cotton harvest. The cotton industry is notorious for its use of forced labour and harsh practices.
Late last week, Elena Urlaeva, head of the Human Rights Alliance of Uzbekistan, was released after a concerted international campaign. Urlaeva was arrested earlier this month as she was preparing to go to an international conference. Urlaeva is an outspoken critic of forced and child labour in Uzbekistan's cotton sector. Her arrest is a reminder of the lengths to which the Uzbekistan government will go to protect its profits from the annual cotton harvest. The cotton industry is notorious for its use of forced labour and harsh practices.
