A website in Kazakhstan, which bills itself as a platform for regional analysis, has reported that authorities in Uzbekistan are mulling the creation of a fake opposition group.

Polit-asia.kz claimed in an article published on November 8 that the proposition under consideration is to revive a banned political party called Ozod Dehkonlar (Free Peasants) that was founded by 52-year old Nigora Khidoyatova, a political emigre based in the United States.

The writer of the piece, Akbar Asanov, claimed that Uzbekistan is endeavoring to persuade the international community that it is embarking on a path of democratization in order to attract inward investment.

Askarov wrote that talks have taken place between the head of the security services, Rustam Inoyatov, acting president Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Khidoyatova to allow for the Ozod Dehkonlar leader to return to Uzbekistan in exchange for acting as a pliant opposition force. Khidoyatova has been provided security guarantees for her, family and friends as part of the deal, Askarov wrote.

Asked for comment on the report, Khidoyatova told EurasiaNet.org that only some parts of the story were accurate.

“A lot of what is written there is true, but as far as coordinating with the government, that is a red herring,” Khidoyatova said.

Khidoyatova is a historian by training and the daughter of another celebrated Uzbek historian, Gogi Khidoyatov. Her political activities culminated in 2003 with the creation of the Ozod Dehkonlar party, which was refused registration. Party members were denied permission to stand in the 2004 parliamentary elections.

By the party’s own estimated, in 2012, when Khidoyatova finally fled the country fearing arrest, it counted around 100,000 rank-and-file members.

Khidoyatova told EurasiaNet.org that she is eager to return to her home country.

“A farmers’ political party is indispensable for Uzbekistan. At least 33 percent of seats in parliament should be occupied by a farmers’ party. The issue of land is the main one that requires addressing in Uzbekistan,” she said.

The notion that Uzbekistan is seeking to create astroturf opposition groups throws cold water on the notion that the government is inching toward some form of political liberalization. Instead, Tashkent may be seeking to borrow from Russia’s playbook by evolving beyond its current ersatz multiparty system based on total compliance to a fake competitive arrangement.