The body of 46-year-old Uzbek citizen Dilafruz Chullieva, who was killed in Turkey, has been repatriated to Uzbekistan with assistance from the Consulate General in Istanbul and the Agency for External Labor Migration. The tragedy began on January 25, 2026, when Chullieva left her workplace in Balıkesir province and did not return, prompting a widespread search operation.

After her son filed an official appeal with the Consular and Legal Department of Uzbekistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, diplomatic missions, Turkish law enforcement agencies, diaspora activists, and lawyers joined the search efforts. A month later, on February 28, her body was found in a forested area of Balıkesir province, but visual identification was impossible due to prolonged exposure to the elements.

DNA testing was ordered to establish identity. Comparison of blood samples from the victim's son and the recovered remains confirmed that the deceased was Dilafruz Chullieva. This incident highlights ongoing safety concerns for Uzbek labor migrants in Turkey, raising questions about the effectiveness of protective measures for citizens working abroad.

Currently, Turkish police have detained four individuals on suspicion of murder. The case underscores the vulnerabilities faced by migrant workers and calls for enhanced international cooperation and support mechanisms to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Source: podrobno.uz