{"id":1759,"date":"2025-08-17T19:08:23","date_gmt":"2025-08-17T14:08:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/housing-uz.info\/ru\/?p=1759"},"modified":"2025-08-17T19:33:24","modified_gmt":"2025-08-17T14:33:24","slug":"samarkand-reconstruction-in-the-unesco-zone-continues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/housing-uz.info\/ru\/en\/1759\/","title":{"rendered":"Samarkand: \u201creconstruction\u201d in the UNESCO zone continues"},"content":{"rendered":"

In April this year, news broke about the reconstruction (in essence, new construction) of the Al-Moturidi complex in Samarkand and the accompanying demolition of the adjacent ancient mahalla (neighborhood<\/em>) with \u00a0220 houses. You can read about this here : Samarkand: Evictions in the UNESCO protected area? \u2013 Housing news<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The current situation<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n

According to reports from Samarkand activists, approximately 40 houses have been demolished. Below are photos and a story from Samarkand lawyer Diyora Rafieva.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Map of demolitions. Photo by Diyora Rafieva<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

«The electricity was cut off two or three days ago for the Multoni (one of the names for Central Asian Roma <\/em>\u2014 ed.) living in their homes. They say there has been no gas for a month. Some have not yet been paid compensation, while others have no agreement at all.<\/p>\n

Even if we accept that the \u201clarge Islamic center\u201d planned by secret decisions of the authorities is a \u201cpublic necessity,\u201d in accordance with Law #781 of the Republic of Uzbekistan (and international law), people cannot be deprived of utilities until they are forcibly evicted through the courts. And even then, a lawsuit can only be filed if people continue to live for more than six months in a dwelling for which they have received compensation in full under an agreement.<\/p>\n

Ruins. Darkness. Dogs left without a home. Residents have to rely on the moonlight and Allah.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Photo by Diyora Rafieva<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"

Photo by Diyora Rafieva<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"

Photo by Diyora Rafieva<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

A lot of families, a lot of kids\u2026:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Kids picking stuff up from the ruins of their homes; watching as a bulldozer tears down their place;<\/li>\n
  • A family of 43 people, most of them kids, of course;<\/li>\n
  • A teenager with a disability, looked after by his grandmother who has heart problems;<\/li>\n
  • A grandfather looking after 16 grandchildren whose parents are away;<\/li>\n
  • A family whose child underwent surgery and who were summoned to the \u201cheadquarters\u201d to negotiate compensation;<\/li>\n
  • A grandfather with seven grandchildren took the money they were given, but they did not sell him housing in another mahalla. He then moved in with his son-in-law, a father of many children;<\/li>\n
  • A mother of five children had been unsuccessfully looking for a house for a month with the money she received;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    \"\"

    Photo by Diyora Rafieva<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

    \"\"

    Photo by Diyora Rafieva<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

    All those who are building the mosque, have you thought about the children? There are many socially sensitive issues here. And the Roma are part of the ethnic landscape of this place. The mosque for pilgrim tourists can be moved to another location, and the eight gravestones can simply be marked.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \u00ab<\/em><\/strong>Secret<\/em><\/strong> decisions<\/em><\/strong>\u00bb<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

    A pilgrimage center with a hotel, conference hall, and parking lot will be built based on some kind of secret or special decision by the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan, which has not undergone legal review by the Ministry of Justice and has not been published in its database, as required by the country’s legislation.<\/p>\n

    As evidenced by the response from the Ministry of Justice to Diyora Rafieva, a public law lawyer from Samarkand, Uzbekistan’s legislation does not provide for \u201cspecial\/secret\u201d decisions.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    The Council of People’s Deputies of the Samarkand Region refused to provide Diyora with information about this \u201cspecial\u201d decision on the pretext that the decision contains information about the private lives of individuals and the activities of legal entities, information that constitutes a state or other legally protected secret.<\/p>\n

    The Council also warned of liability for disclosing information not related to the applicant personally, including the dissemination of citizens’ personal data in the media, posting it on the Internet, or transferring this data to third parties and disseminating it.<\/p>\n

    \"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

    Why is it important to preserve this area?<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n

    Rakhimjon Avazov<\/strong>, candidate of architecture, professor, member of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), explains the value of the entire residential neighborhood surrounding the Al-Moturidi complex:<\/p>\n

    Here are some excerpts from Rakhim Avazov’s expert opinion<\/p>\n

    [beginning of quote<\/em><\/span>]:<\/p>\n

    The Abu Mansur Moturidi architectural complex is located in the protected area of the medieval historical part of the city, one kilometer southeast of Registan Square and the Registan ensemble, in the Chokardiza cemetery, with a total area of 4 hectares. The Chokardiza cemetery is the oldest in the medieval part of the city, dating back to pre-Timurid times.<\/p>\n

    In the center of the complex is the scholar’s mausoleum. The mausoleum is 12 meters high, with a dome reaching 15 meters. The building is crowned with a double dome, the outer ribbed dome is decorated with blue majolica, and the tholobate is decorated with 24 arches. The scientist’s sayings are carved on a white marble tombstone.<\/p>\n

    To the west of the mausoleum there is a low building with a dome, and on the north side there is an elevation (sufa) with tombstones from the 9th-8th centuries. The graves of his companions are also located here: Abu Ahmad al-Iyadi, Hakim as-Samarkandi, Abu al-Lays al-Bukhari, Abu Muhammad al-Bazdawi, Ali ar-Rustugfani, Abu Bakr al-Iyadi, and others.<\/p>\n

    The residential area of the Moturidi complex is characterized by dense adobe one-story and, in some places, two-story buildings, closely adjacent to the territory of the Moturidi complex, with a historical architectural and urban fabric and a vibrant, distinctive culture.<\/p>\n

    \"\"

    Photo by Diyora Rafieva<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

    \"\"

    Photo by Diyora Rafieva<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

    A diverse community of people lives here:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • These are mainly the homes of the ordinary residents of the neighborhood, where their identity has been preserved, i.e., their sense of belonging to society, their individuality, and their affiliation with a social group within the city’s population.<\/li>\n
    • The neighborhood is distinguished by a combination of diverse buildings in conditions of limited expansion, compactness, and the material and spatial integrity of the urban structure.<\/li>\n
    • Highly effective social contacts and social comfort of the population, i.e., to maintain traditional forms of existence.<\/li>\n
    • significant opportunities for the development and transformation of the residential structure (i.e., the residential courtyard has the potential for the construction of a second floor and perimeter development);<\/li>\n
    • the possibility of compaction and a number of environmental advantages (the use of raw bricks and compacted clay \u201cpakhsa\u201d and other local building materials and structures);<\/li>\n
    • regional planning solutions for residential buildings that shape the streets and internal appearance of the city create harmony and architectural and spatial integrity of the environment;<\/li>\n
    • compositional harmony between the historically established background buildings and architectural monuments and landscape areas;<\/li>\n
    • the streets within the neighborhoods do not have through traffic, which creates a good ecological situation;<\/li>\n
    • the streets, which regulate the city’s temperature, were formed and organized according to the best spatial ratios relevant to modern urban planning;<\/li>\n
    • Although inconspicuous at first glance, the residential environment creates a special urban environment in historic cities, the loss of which leads to irreparable damage to the city’s appearance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      The residential areas here are like the \u201croots\u201d of public buildings, supporting their courtyards, streets, and neighborhood centers, which are in complete harmony with each other. The absence of a single line of buildings and its unevenness create a wide variety of transitions between the street and the courtyard, public buildings, creating different artistic types of spaces.<\/p>\n

      There are many beautiful corners here that have preserved the artistic appearance of the past. Gardens, houses, neighborhood mosques, shops, small production and creative workshops, and residential buildings have preserved the beautiful planning principles of the East, the magnificent decoration of residential interiors, and finally, the population living in this environment forms the basis of the city and is part of its historical and cultural heritage.<\/p>\n

      There is a danger of the disappearance of this unique type of environment, which must not only be preserved but also restored. [end of quote<\/span><\/em>]<\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Shortcomings of the local authorities’ project proposal for the reconstruction of the Abu Mansur Moturidi complex<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n

      Rahimjon Avazov believes that the project for the reconstruction of the Abu Mansur Moturidi complex does not comply with urban planning standards and regulations for construction in historic cities, the principles and objectives of the International Charters for the Protection of Historic Cities (Washington, 1987), the International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites (Venice, 1964), and other international conventions.<\/p>\n

      Because :<\/p>\n

      [beginning of quote from R. Avazov’s expert opinion<\/em><\/span>]:<\/p>\n

        \n
      • The project does not provide for a comprehensive study and comprehensive regeneration of the designated area.<\/li>\n
      • The project is not consistent with the overall concept for the development of the historic city.<\/li>\n
      • The project provides for the demolition and expansion of the complex by another 5.5 hectares to the north along Gizhduvan Street for the construction of parking lots, a mosque for 1,500 people, a science center, a library, and a museum at the expense of a large number (220) of residential buildings.<\/li>\n
      • The project does not provide analytical diagrams for the adaptation and restoration of service facilities, kindergartens, and healthcare facilities, or for the renovation of the residential quarter.<\/li>\n
      • The Moturidi complex is not included in the general scheme of tourist routes in the city.<\/li>\n
      • No plan has been drawn up for well-maintained pedestrian walkways, environmental design, and transportation; the project also provides for the expansion of internal roads.<\/li>\n
      • No archaeological excavations have been carried out; the exact burial sites of the holy theologians have not been found.<\/li>\n
      • The planned buildings for the mosque and conference hall replicate the architecture of the medieval Timurid era, which is totally unacceptable (different era), and on a large scale disrupt the city’s skyline and the spatial structure of the area.<\/li>\n
      • The area allocated for parking lots will lead to the devastation of the space, thereby disrupting the historical urban fabric and creating problems for the residents of the area;<\/li>\n
      • The project does not provide for the resolution of engineering network issues, and the area designated for residential development is deprived of a comfortable living environment\u2014the appropriate engineering equipment. Thus, domestic sewage is arbitrarily discharged into the storm sewer system, which poses an environmental threat to the surrounding area;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
          \n
        • The unjustified demolition of residential buildings on Vobkent Street and along Gizhdun Street will lead to the loss of the city’s architectural identity.<\/li>\n
        • When selecting the construction site, the project was approved without taking into account urban planning, engineering, geological, technical, and other factors, and the project was agreed upon with local authorities. However, the development of social and small-scale production infrastructure in populated areas was not agreed upon, and the results of a comparative analysis of construction site location options were not presented in the project;<\/li>\n
        • No joint expert review was conducted, and the conclusion was not approved by the management of the expert bodies involved in the review of the construction project;<\/li>\n
        • Most of the sacred site \u201cChilla Mozor\u201d in the neighborhood was demolished.<\/li>\n
        • The project was formally agreed upon with the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Samarkand Region, but not with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Center.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          [end of quote<\/span><\/em>]<\/p>\n

          How is the National Commission of Uzbekistan for UNESCO responding?<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

          Diyora Rafieva addressed Ms Gayane Umerova, Secretary General of the National Commission of Uzbekistan for UNESCO under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan.<\/p>\n

          Here are excerpts from Diyora’s letter:<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

          «According to paragraph 4 of Resolution of the President of Uzbekistan No. 5150 of 19.06.2021: «Projects for the construction, demolition, and improvement of immovable cultural heritage properties, as well as properties located in specially protected historical and cultural areas, in areas included in the World Heritage List, and their protected boundaries, must be coordinated with the Agency on a mandatory basis. At the same time, projects in territories (sites) included in the World Heritage List shall be coordinated with the UNESCO World Heritage Center through the National Commission for UNESCO.»<\/p>\n

          Also, according to Article 3 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan \u201cOn Guarantees and Freedom of Access to Information\u201d: «Every citizen is guaranteed the right to access information. The state protects the rights of everyone to search for, receive, study, transmit, and disseminate information.\u201c According to Article 4 of the same Law: \u201dThe basic principles of freedom of access to information are publicity, accessibility, openness, and reliability of information.»<\/p>\n

          \u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

          In light of the above, I request:<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Clarification as to whether the project to demolish the guzars (neighborhoods<\/em> ) and construct a massive structure on the historic site has been approved by the National Commission for UNESCO.<\/li>\n
          2. Clarification as to whether the project has been approved by the UNESCO World Heritage Center.<\/li>\n
          3. If the documents referred to in points 1-2 are available, please provide them for review;<\/li>\n
          4. If the documents referred to in points 1-2 are not available, please immediately stop (through legal and political mechanisms, including at the highest level) any activity that threatens\/destroys the architectural, ethnographic, centuries-old social and domestic, and natural appearance of the historic Guzars (actual demolition, coordination procedures by local authorities, government agencies entering into agreements with residents on the seizure of property for demolition and concluding deals with businesses on the transfer of land, etc.).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Currently, the police station, school, and presumably several houses and \u201cChilla Mozor\u201d have already been demolished. Employees of the local government and law enforcement agencies visit people’s homes every day to sell the historical area. There is a bulldozer. In this regard, I ask you to expedite your response. I intend to file a lawsuit to overturn the decision of the regional council.<\/p>\n

            [end of quote<\/em><\/span>]<\/p>\n

            Diyora did not receive an official written response.<\/p>\n

            Unfortunately, the authorities responded to Diyora’s activism in their usual manner: on July 11, she was detained and spent several hours in a police van and had a conversation with employees of the terrorism department.<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

            Material prepared by Farida Sharifullina<\/strong><\/p>\n

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