Foreigners Rescued from Slavery in Illegal Workshop in Novopavlovka
Illegal Garment Workshop Discovered in Kyrgyzstan, 30 Foreign Workers Found in Slavery
A garment workshop in Novopavlovka village in Kyrgyzstan was recently uncovered by security officers, where 30 foreign workers were found to be illegally working and living in slavery-like conditions, according to the press center of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan (SCNS).
The workshop, owned by a local resident, was found to be exploiting workers from South Asia. The workers were deceived into coming to Kyrgyzstan, had their passports confiscated, were not paid their salaries, and were threatened with imprisonment for their illegal residency status.
It was also revealed that the workshop owner had colluded with a local district police officer to carry out these illegal activities. The necessary documents for foreign workers, such as registration, labor visas, and work permits, were not prepared, and the workers were essentially held in slavery.
In a raid on the night of June 20, SCNS officers discovered the dire living conditions of the foreign workers, which did not meet basic sanitary standards. Both the workshop owner and the district police officer were subsequently detained and placed in the temporary detention center of the SCNS.
This shocking revelation highlights the need for greater vigilance and enforcement of labor laws in Kyrgyzstan to prevent such exploitative practices and protect the rights of all workers, regardless of their nationality.
