UN experts have raised alarm over a series of forced evictions and housing demolitions in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site since 2001. They expressed concern that such actions violate human rights and destroy the livelihoods of marginalised communities, particularly minorities and Indigenous Peoples. The experts noted that these communities are often excluded from decision-making processes, with their free, prior and informed consent ignored.
In May 2025, an entire neighbourhood near the al-Maturidi mausoleum in Samarkand’s protected zone was demolished, leaving over 1,200 people homeless. Most of those displaced belonged to the Multoni minority, a local Roma community with deep historical ties to the area. The experts criticised the government for failing to explore alternative development plans or establish a resettlement strategy before beginning demolitions. A heritage impact assessment was only presented to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee after most homes had already been destroyed.
Reports indicate that the evictions were carried out under pressure from local authorities, police and courts, leaving residents with little legal recourse. Some compensation was provided, but it was insufficient for families to purchase equivalent homes in Samarkand’s city centre. The experts also noted that a lawyer representing affected residents was harassed and detained, and that essential services such as electricity and gas were cut to force people out.
These demolitions occurred just months after the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing urged Uzbekistan to stop forced evictions. Despite repeated calls from the World Heritage Committee to maintain a moratorium on demolitions and new developments in Samarkand, the government ignored the recommendation. The experts warned that the targeting of a Roma community raised serious issues of discrimination and cultural erasure, particularly concerning given that UNESCO’s General Conference is being hosted in Samarkand this year.
The experts criticised UNESCO for failing to establish clear human rights guidelines to prevent forced evictions in heritage sites, saying the organisation must not overlook violations committed in the name of cultural preservation. They pointed out that UNESCO seems more likely to delist a site for aesthetic reasons—such as a blocked view—than for human rights abuses. The experts urged UNESCO’s General Conference to adopt binding guidelines ensuring that any relocation of residents around heritage sites is rights-based and carried out with full consent, adding that all heritage designations must respect fundamental human rights standards.
