Forced “Consent”: Land Seizures and the China Factor in Uzbekistan’s Andijan Region

Land disputes linked to the transfer of farmland to Chinese investors have resurfaced in Uzbekistan’s Andijan region, reviving concerns that have appeared repeatedly over the past several years. Starting in late 2024, farmers across multiple districts report that their legally leased agricultural land has been taken without court decisions and under direct pressure from local authorities, police, and prosecutors.

According to investigations published by RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service (Radio Ozodlik), farmers report being forced to surrender agricultural land without court decisions, raising concerns about coercion, property rights, and due process. Farmers say they were compelled to sign written statements declaring that they were “voluntarily” surrendering land to the state reserve, after being told that the land would ultimately be allocated to Chinese investors.

One of the most detailed accounts comes from Zoirjon Gapparov, head of the “Savay Ariq Suvlari” farming enterprise in Qo‘rg‘ontepa district of Andijan. Gapparov says pressure on him began in December 2024, when officials came to his home and forcibly took him and his wife to the district hokimiyat. “They first took me to the deputy