Memorial Day for the Victims of Repression in Uzbekistan is observed on August 31 every year. This remembrance day was officially established by President Islam Karimov in 2001 and commemorates the many individuals who suffered during periods of political repression in Uzbekistan's history, including the Russian Empire's conquest, the 1917 Russian Revolution, and the Great Purge under Joseph Stalin. The first observance took place in 2002 at the Shakhidlar Khotirasi Memorial in Tashkent, which is dedicated to the victims of political repression. The day is typically marked with solemn ceremonies. However, some view the establishment of this memorial day as hypocritical, given the ongoing human rights violations in modern Uzbekistan, such as the 2005 Andijan massacre where peaceful protesters were shot.