Urkuya Salieva

Urkuya Salieva (Kyrgyz: Уркуя Салиева, Russian: Уркуя Салиева; also transcribed as Urkuia or Urkiya) (1911 – September 16, 1934) was a Soviet Kyrgyzstani political figure who served as a chairwoman of the Kashka-Zhol village council (Aiyl Kenesh) in the Osh Region. She is remembered as a Komsomol activist who actively participated in the collectivization of agriculture and the emancipation of women in Soviet Kyrgyzstan during the 1930s.

Salieva became a prominent figure in the fight against traditional customs that suppressed women and advocated for their rights and participation in public life. Her activities met with resistance from conservative elements within Kyrgyz society.

Urkuya Salieva was murdered in 1934, an act attributed to enemies of the Soviet regime opposed to collectivization. Her death was widely publicized and she became a symbol of the sacrifices made during the socio-economic transformations in the early Soviet era. She was posthumously honored, and various locations and institutions in Kyrgyzstan were named after her, solidifying her status as a local hero.