UN Experts Condemn Forced Evictions in Samarkand’s UNESCO Heritage Site

UN human rights experts have raised serious concerns over forced evictions and large-scale housing demolitions in the city center of Samarkand, Uzbekistan, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site since 2001. The experts warned that these actions have devastated marginalized communities and violated international human rights standards, including the right to adequate housing, non-discrimination, and cultural integrity.

Displacement in the Heart of a Heritage City

In May 2025, authorities demolished an entire neighborhood situated within Samarkand's protected heritage zone near the al-Maturidi Mausoleum, a site revered for its religious and cultural significance. According to UN reports, over 1,200 residents, most belonging to the Multoni minority — a local Roma community — lost their homes in just a few weeks. This group had lived in the area for generations, maintaining deep cultural and historical ties to the neighborhood.

The demolitions were reportedly carried out under the pretext of urban renewal and the construction of a new pilgrimage center and tourism infrastructure. However, experts say that no meaningful consultation or consent was sought from the affected communities, and no viable alternatives were considered to protect both heritage and livelihoods.

Ignoring Human Rights and Heritage Protocols

The UN experts stated that the Samarkand demolitions followed a pattern seen in other world heritage sites, including Cambodia and Tanzania, where forced evictions have targeted minority or indigenous communities. "In most instances the victims are marginalized communities, members of minorities or Indigenous Peoples whose socio-economic fabric and livelihoods are destroyed by such forced evictions," they said. "The free, prior and informed consent of local communities is completely disregarded."

What makes the Samarkand case particularly alarming is that it occurred despite repeated warnings and recommendations. The World Heritage Committee had previously requested a moratorium on demolitions and new developments within Samarkand's heritage core — a recommendation that the Uzbek government openly ignored.

Coercion, Threats, and Lack of Remedies

Reports indicate that residents were pressured to vacate their homes through coercive tactics. Electricity and gas supplies were cut, and police officers reportedly harassed residents to force them out. A lawyer representing a homeowner was detained and threatened by law enforcement officials. Compensation payments were made to some residents, but the amounts were insufficient to purchase equivalent property in the city center, effectively displacing families from their ancestral community.

The demolitions occurred only months after a visit from the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, who had specifically urged Uzbekistan to halt forced evictions. Despite this, the government proceeded with demolitions, in defiance of its international obligations under human rights law and UNESCO conventions.

UNESCO's Role Under Scrutiny

The UN experts also criticized UNESCO and its World Heritage Committee for failing to establish binding human rights safeguards for populations living within or near world heritage sites. "UNESCO has the duty to respect human rights and cultural rights and not turn a blind eye to their violation in the name of protecting cultural heritage," the experts said.

They noted the irony that a site can face delisting for aesthetic reasons—such as a modern bridge obstructing a historical view—while communities are forcibly displaced without consequence. "There is regrettably a stronger risk that a world heritage site is delisted when a bridge obstructs views than when local populations are forcibly driven out of their homes and livelihoods," they lamented.

Calls for Reform and Accountability

The experts called on UNESCO's 43rd General Conference, currently being held in Samarkand, to adopt formal guidelines prohibiting forced evictions and requiring rights-based resettlement plans for any unavoidable relocations. They emphasized that the criteria for designating and maintaining World Heritage Sites must include respect for human rights, social justice, and community participation.

"We deeply regret that the Government has chosen to disregard the recommendation on a moratorium," the experts said. They urged the Uzbek authorities to immediately suspend any further evictions, ensure fair compensation, and allow independent investigations into alleged abuses.

A Call to Protect Both Heritage and Humanity

The targeting of the Multoni Roma community also raises serious concerns of ethnic discrimination and cultural erasure. The demolitions, taking place just before the start of UNESCO's major global conference, have amplified criticism of both Uzbekistan's domestic policies and UNESCO's own accountability mechanisms.

The UN experts reaffirmed their commitment to assist governments and international organizations in developing human rights-compliant heritage preservation practices. "Safeguarding world heritage must not come at the cost of human dignity," they concluded. "True heritage protection means protecting both the monuments and the people who give them life."