Memorial Day for the Victims of Repression in Uzbekistan Date in the current year: August 31, 2024

Uzbekistan's history is full of dark pages. It was conquered by the Russian Empire in the 19th century, and many people died struggling to preserve their country’s independence. A lot of Uzbeks died during the 1917 Russian Revolution and the Great Purge (campaign of political repression initiated by Joseph Stalin in the 1930s). The 1980s saw a series of criminal cases when people were convicted for undersupply of cotton (the Cotton Case).

The first observance of the remembrance day was held in 2002 at the Shakhidlar Khotirasi Memorial, the museum dedicated to the memory of the people who fell victims to political repression and persecutions. The memorial is located in the capital city of Tashkent. August 31 is typically marked with solemn ceremonies.

Some people consider the establishment of Memorial Day for the Victims of Repression a hypocritical step, as modern Uzbekistan is notorious for severe violations of human rights and freedom of the press. For instance, in 2005 hundreds of peaceful protesters were shot during the so-called Andijan massacre.