Turkmen cotton harvest forced labour reportedly worsens.

A new report has found that systemic forced labour in Turkmenistan’s cotton industry has worsened, with state-linked mobilisation of workers continuing during the annual harvest.

The findings highlight that public sector employees are still being compelled to pick cotton or pay for replacement workers, reinforcing long-standing concerns about labour abuses in the country’s key agricultural sector, News.Az reports, citing Intelli News.

The report says the practice remains widespread and organised through government structures that direct workers into the fields during harvest periods, despite official claims of reform efforts in recent years.

According to the findings, forced labour continues to affect thousands of people each season, with reports of coercion, penalties for refusal, and reliance on quotas tied to state control of cotton production. Human rights groups have long linked Turkmenistan’s cotton industry to systemic labour exploitation and international supply chain risks.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova