Freedom of the press: Pressure on the media continues in Uzbekistan

Recently, the authors of the Telegram channel Daryo-LIVE denied the fact that the post on their channel was removed under pressure.

Mukhrim Azamkhodjayev, the editor-in-chief of Daryo.uz, denied state body intervention being the cause for the removal of the post from the Daryo-LIVE Telegram channel, calling the message fabricated. But the post, which was published on the channel on April 21 at 12:13, indeed was deleted but stored in the memory of Telegram Analytics.

Still, it is their right how to assess the situation. But according to our sources, the post was removed from the channel after a call from the “outside”.

Komil Allamjonov’s message about pressure on the media from various agencies was re-posted on the main channel of the site, as well as on the Daryo-LIVE channel. Notably, this was done within 15 minutes after Kun.uz published a post on this issue.

It should be noted that demanding websites to remove certain articles and posts from their pages has become something common in Uzbekistan, and Kun.uz is a website that suffers the most from this practice. The unjustified interference of the State Security Service in the activities of Kun.uz is not a new phenomenon.

For many years, at least once a week, we have received objections from the SSS to some materials with instructions on how to change them or remove them completely.

It has happened several times over the past month. Despite repeated instructions of the President about ensuring freedom of the media, we were urged to disclose sources of information we used for the article about the Tashkent regional administration holding a large meeting on Sunday, as well as to remove articles about the deputy chairman of the Committee on Religious Affairs, Dilshod Eshnayev, and unjustified demolition of the outdoor advertising boards in Tashkent.

The editorial board of Kun.uz fully supports the policy of openness pursued by Shavkat Mirziyoyev and puts the security of the state, the peace of citizens and the development of the country above all when writing articles for the website.

The problem remains unresolved, and the editorial board looks forward to a justified solution.