Seems like Uzbek diplomats oversees do not enjoy their holidays. One of the most recent spoiled holidays for Uzbek authorities and foreign service officers was a protest infront of the Uzbek Consulate General in Istanbul on September 1, 2011, which is celebrated as Independence Day in Uzbeistan.

The protest, which was organized by People’s Movement of Uzbekistan (PMU), gathered some fifty human rights activists to express their negative attitude towards gross human rights violations and totalitarian political regime.

This time PMU activists made Uzbek Consulate staffers stay in their offices and hide behind curtains, take pictures and videotape the disagreement expressed on protesters’ banners, as well as in their speeches.

Banner prepared by Özbekler Birliği.org (Union of Uzbeks) aimed to inform people passing by and publicity about “22 years of state terror” in Uzbekistan, along with some statistics and a “Karimov-as-a-vampire” collage:

- 25 million people are slaves;
- 5 million kids pick cotton;
- 20,000 prisoners of consciousness;
- 5 million unemployed;
- 3,000 victims of Andijan;
- 54 Turkish businessmen imprisoned, their businesses confiscated.

The banner ends with a statement that “The world is speechless about terrorist Karimov’s violations of human rights.”

Uzbek Consulate staffers were trying hard taking pictures and to not be noticed — but the cameraman captured at least two people from the inside the building taking pictures and videotaping, probably for the further analysis and reporting to appropriate Uzbek services and state agencies.

Quoting articles of the Uzbek Constitution, protesters were giving examples of how those articles actually realized in real life.

Exhiled Uzbek also protested in Oslo and Vancouver (governmental districts in both countries), holding calls to “Stop The Violence!” and declaring that it’s “Time To Change!” and “End The Anti-Constitution Regime Fall”, as well as asking Uzbek soldiers, who execute orders: “Don’t Shoot Your Mother!”