Uzbek police round up rent-a-protesters

[Champ]

TASHKENT (AFP) - Around 30 casual workers who were recruited by a human rights group in Uzbekistan to join in an all-expenses-paid demonstration were arrested by police, the protest's leader said.

The workers -- recruited from those who regularly crowd Tashkent's bazaars offering their services -- had their placards torn up and were driven away by police, said Elena Urlayeva, chairwoman of the Society for Protection of the Rights and Freedoms of the Citizens of Uzbekistan.

"The police started to catch the casual workers one by one, forcing them into the police cars and buses -- we followed them but eventually lost sight of them," Urlayeva said.

Urlayeva acknowledged that she had paid the workers to attend, but defended the practice.

"Casual workers are my support group," Urlayeva said.

"Most of them are farmers and peasants and our party defends their rights -- I paid them for food and travel but they came voluntarily because we explained their rights to them."
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