3.1.2 Ensure justice and remedies 3.1.3 Strengthen legislation and court practice A formal, independent investigation must be established by the government of Uzbekistan into the compulsory acquisition of private property from residents and businesses as well as into “voluntary” land lease termination of farmland. This inquiry should at a minimum: a) Amend articles of the 2022 law on the definition of public need, compensation and financing to better protect against forced evictions and corruption risks. a) Provide remedy for evidenced forced evictions and rights violations. b) Compensate farmers whose land has been illegally seized for the benefit of the private sector or through arbitrary punitive actions by local authorities. c) Identify and sanction state officials and judges who have abused their powers, including through potential criminal prosecutions. d) Inquire into causative factors underpinning court complicity in illicit acquisition exercises. e) Identify priority areas for reform that address the systemic drivers of abuse and rights violations. b) Introduce an official commentary for judges on the implementation of anti-forced eviction guarantees. 3.1.4 Ensure transparency and accountability in the land redistribution process a) Ensure prosecutorial oversight over the land redistribution process. b) Establish a multi-stakeholder forum that includes government representatives, civil society organisations specialising in housing and land rights, national and international human rights experts, international financial institutions, and UN agencies such as UN Habitat and UNESCO, to develop and advance a roadmap for policy and legal reforms that substantively protect private property and land rights of homeowners, businesses and farmers. The forum should also be engaged in advancing the policy, legal and procedural framework, for implementing a rigorous human rights compliant framework that protects housing rights, farmers rights and private property rights, which ensure that where in exceptional situations compulsory acquisitions and evictions take place, they are in full compliance with international human rights law. c) Introduce an anti-corruption strategy and inquiry in land redistribution matters. A False Sense of Legality 61