In the Chinoz district of Uzbekistan’s Tashkent region, local authorities and police are visiting residents’ homes to check whether their yards are properly maintained and their houses are clean.
The inspections began ahead of Uzbekistan’s Independence Day, celebrated on Sept. 1. In late July, the district administration posted a message on its official Telegram channel calling on residents to clean up their yards and mahallas, or neighborhoods.
Read also: Why an Uzbek official claims stopping home-baked bread causes cancer.
The district administration apparently took the campaign a step further by introducing «plaques of shame» for homes deemed poorly maintained, Gazeta.uz reports.
A plaque can be placed on a house if its walls have not been whitewashed, its gates have not been painted or its yard lacks flowers and trees. The district head also believes neighborhoods deserve criticism if there is trash in the streets or drainage ditches.
Notably, Kursiv.media Uzbekistan previously reported on a separate case, citing the Daryo Telegram channel, which published an 11-minute video showing Samad Hasanov, mayor of the Shahrisabz district, criticizing a woman over the condition of her home. Hasanov also expressed dissatisfaction with her housekeeping.
As part of the campaign, mahalla chairmen and police officers are entering homes and demanding that residents clean both their houses and the areas around them. Some officials have reportedly even inspected refrigerators. Residents who fail to comply may face fines.
Readers commenting on the report have sharply criticized the practice, pointing out that private property is protected by law. They also questioned the legality of publicly shaming residents for failing to whitewash their homes or plant flowers in front of their houses.
