Uzbekistan: Bill Threatens Freedom of Expression, Media [EN/RU] – Uzbekistan

Amend Draft Regulation; Guarantee Provisions Adjust to Worldwide Regulation

(Berlin, December 23, 2022) – Uzbekistan’s Info and Mass Communications Company ought to withdraw a draft Info Code that, if adopted, would violate freedom of expression, together with media freedom, Human Rights Watch mentioned at this time.

“Uzbekistan’s lawmakers shouldn’t rush forward with this draft regulation with out contemplating the intense implications for freedom of expression and the nondiscrimination precept,” mentioned Mihra Rittmann, senior Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Uzbek lawmakers ought to be certain that it absolutely complies with worldwide human rights regulation earlier than transferring ahead with its evaluation.”

The Info Code, drafted by the Company for Info and Mass Communications, was printed on December 14, 2022 and is open for commentary from the general public till December 29. It purports to consolidate and codify eight legal guidelines regulating info, together with legal guidelines on the media, entry to info, and on defending youngsters from dangerous info, but in addition introduces dangerous new provisions.

The draft regulation contains provisions that regulate and restrict info printed throughout investigations and trials and data that’s “insulting” or “exhibits disrespect for society, the state, state symbols, together with obscenities.” Such provisions would have a chilling impact on journalists and bloggers.

The regulation additionally contains discriminatory provisions in opposition to “selling” same-sex relations, which might solely additional entrench the stigma and discrimination confronted by lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals in Uzbekistan, and ought to be eliminated.

The Info and Mass Communications Company ought to be certain that any restrictions on freedom of knowledge enshrined within the draft code are strictly restricted to the extent that’s crucial and proportionate, and just for legit functions, as offered for beneath worldwide human rights regulation.

The 2-week time-frame for public dialogue of this far-reaching regulation doesn’t give the general public or media and data regulation specialists ample time to interact correctly and be certain that the regulation is not going to adversely have an effect on the rights of journalists, bloggers, others who work within the info sphere, together with human rights activists, and the general public at giant, Human Rights Watch mentioned.

Uzbekistan is a celebration to the Worldwide Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which amongst different rights ensures the rights to freedom of expression, together with the precise to hunt, obtain, and impart info, and to be protected in opposition to discrimination.

Uzbekistan companions ought to make it clear that Uzbekistan’s acknowledged reform agenda is incompatible with adoption of laws that’s discriminatory, violates freedom of expression, and is in breach of a number of obligations beneath the ICCPR.

Uzbekistan’s Info and Mass Communications Company ought to withdraw the invoice for additional amendments and invite unbiased media and data regulation specialists to evaluation the draft and supply skilled evaluation, Human Rights Watch mentioned.

“Uzbek lawmakers ought to be certain that in terms of this Info Code, the regulation protects journalists’ and different individuals’s rights,” Rittmann mentioned. “There may be nonetheless time to take away the rights-violating provisions within the draft and shield free speech.”