What Is the State of Freedom of Speech in Uzbekistan?

The annual OSCE Human Dimension Conference was held in Warsaw from October 5 to 15. Paradigma had previously reported on the event.

The Warsaw conference is one of the major international events dedicated to human rights in Europe. This year’s event was organized by Switzerland, which holds the OSCE chairpersonship, with support from the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). More than 1,800 participants attended, including government representatives from the OSCE’s 57 participating states, international organizations, and civil society groups. They discussed human rights, freedom of speech, the rule of law, and democratic institutions.

Abdurahmon Tashanov, chair of the Ezgulik Human Rights Society, attended the conference and spoke to a Paradigma correspondent. He assessed the reforms being implemented in Uzbekistan positively but also expressed concern over freedom of speech, problems in the judicial and investigative systems, and criminal cases involving bloggers.

“What is said here translates into practical steps more quickly.”

According to Tashanov, international platforms such as the Warsaw conference give civil society representatives an opportunity to bring problems to the attention of international organizations and officials.

“Meetings are held here with international organizations, civil society representatives, and other officials. We have also organized separate events on previous occasions. We make statements here about fundamental human rights issues, including freedom of speech, torture, and religious freedoms,” he said.

In Tashanov’s view, the issues raised at such conferences are also connected to Uzbekistan’s standing on the international stage.

“From the perspective of Uzbekistan’s political image, particularly given the country’s increasingly prominent position in foreign affairs and its international image in recent years, what is said here can translate into practical steps somewhat more quickly. That is why we try to participate in these conferences every year,” Tashanov said.

“Development Is Uneven”

While noting that Uzbekistan’s international standing is growing stronger, Tashanov emphasized that human rights problems persist within the country.

“Nevertheless, fundamental problems related to freedom of speech and judicial and legal matters remain. These are not issues that can be resolved in one year or even ten years. Such problems exist in developed countries as well. But in Uzbekistan, several situations over the past few months have reached a particularly critical point,” he said.

The human rights defender cited criminal cases involving bloggers and questions about justice in the judicial system as examples. According to him, these issues were also discussed in Warsaw.

Several high-profile criminal cases involving journalists and bloggers were heard in Uzbekistan in 2026. In September, a military court sentenced Taftish.uz employees and former officers of the State Security Service to prison terms ranging from four years and one month to ten years and six months.

“Of course, very good reforms have been implemented in Uzbekistan in recent years. At the same time, there are fundamental human rights violations that give cause for concern. In other words, development is uneven,” Tashanov said.

In his view, as Uzbekistan continues its policy of openness on the international stage, the activities of institutions inside the country should reflect the same approach. Otherwise, problems within law enforcement agencies, the courts, and investigative bodies may lead to negative reports about the country.

The Sirojiddin Odilov Case: What Do the Different Sides Say?

Tashanov said international organizations were monitoring developments in Uzbekistan and drew attention to a statement by Human Rights Watch (HRW) concerning blogger Sirojiddin Odilov.

“Human Rights Watch has expressed concern about freedom of speech in Uzbekistan and issued a statement on Sirojiddin Odilov. This is precisely what we were concerned about. International organizations learn about what is happening inside the country and speak out. We cooperate with them. I think this can also have a considerable impact on the country’s political image,” he said.

On October 5, the Mirzachul District Criminal Court in Jizzakh Region sentenced Sirojiddin Odilov, creator of the “Sirojiddin Media” YouTube channel with more than 915,000 subscribers, to four years in prison. Paradigma previously reported on the case.

On October 8, Human Rights Watch issued a statement regarding the verdict. Paradigma also reported on the organization’s concerns about the fairness of the proceedings.

The Court’s Position

According to the press service of the Jizzakh regional courts, Odilov was found guilty of extortion against one individual under Part 1 of Article 165 of the Criminal Code. He was also convicted of repeated fraud against two other individuals under points “b” and “c” of Part 3 of Article 168.

What Is the State of Freedom of Speech in Uzbekistan?

According to information released by the court, Odilov received a total of 75 million soums from three individuals: 12 million soums from one person, 30 million from another, and 33 million from the third. The damage was fully compensated.

The court’s press service specifically emphasized that Odilov had not been charged in connection with his activities on social media. It also noted that the verdict could be reviewed by a higher court.

Earlier, when Odilov was detained in March, the Samarkand Regional Department of Internal Affairs said the criminal case had been opened following a complaint by a 65-year-old resident of Pastdargom District. At the time, the investigation was reported to be proceeding under Part 2 of Article 168 of the Criminal Code, concerning fraud, and Article 211, concerning bribery.

Thus, the articles cited during the preliminary investigation differ from those listed in reports about the court’s verdict.

The Position of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

On October 9, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Ramazon Ashropov answered a question about Sirojiddin Odilov’s conviction during a press conference in Tashkent.

According to Ashropov, the Gulira’no Qosimova case was not the reason for the blogger’s imprisonment, and Odilov’s case was not considered as part of that matter.

What Is the State of Freedom of Speech in Uzbekistan?

“The Ministry of Internal Affairs has nothing to do with this,” Ashropov said.

Human Rights Watch’s Position

In its October 8 statement, Human Rights Watch said Odilov’s conviction on extortion and fraud charges raised serious questions about fair trial standards and the government’s commitment to freedom of speech.

Mihra Rittmann, HRW’s senior adviser for Central Asia, highlighted the fact that Odilov was detained in March 2026, several months after reporting alleged abuses within law enforcement agencies. HRW said this sequence of events raised concerns that the blogger may have been targeted because of his critical reporting.

The organization called for Odilov’s appeal to be heard impartially, with both procedural issues and the evidence examined.

The information about alleged procedural violations cited in HRW’s statement was based on accounts from the Ezgulik Human Rights Society and Abdurahmon Tashanov, who monitored the trial. The reported concerns included the alleged denial of Odilov’s right to choose his own lawyer, searches of his home and vehicle without a court warrant, complainants’ failure to present evidence supporting their allegations, and complaints filed more than three years after the alleged events.

These are allegations raised by HRW and Tashanov. Each should be examined separately against court documents and statements from the other parties involved.

“Not Everyone Likes Freedom of Speech”

Tashanov emphasized that freedom of speech is a fundamental human rights principle enshrined in both international standards and national legislation. In his view, it is important to distinguish clearly between abusing freedom of speech and obstructing its exercise.

“If abuses occur under the pretext of freedom of speech and lead to criminal acts, measures should certainly be taken. However, using that as an excuse to trample on freedom of speech or unjustly prosecute people working in this field ultimately violates freedom of speech,” he said.

While acknowledging positive changes in recent years, the human rights defender said freedom of speech was not equally supported by all institutions and groups.

“Nevertheless, the issue of freedom of speech is not welcomed by every group in the country. For example, the internal affairs bodies, the prosecutor’s office, and law enforcement agencies in general do not always welcome freedom of speech,” Tashanov said.

He also recalled earlier remarks by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev concerning freedom of speech.

“My advisers tell me, ‘Shut down freedom of speech.’ But I will not shut it down. We have heard the president say this. Therefore, the government of Uzbekistan does not support freedom of speech with one voice. There are different groups within it. Some do not like freedom of speech, journalists, or bloggers. I think those groups should reflect on this today, because those times are over,” he said.

According to Presidential Press Secretary Sherzod Asadov, Shavkat Mirziyoyev made remarks about the media during a visit to School No. 71 in the Karshi District of Kashkadarya Region.

“They tell me, ‘Shut it down.’ I will not shut it down. Are we supposed to return to the old days when prosecutors and officers of the National Security Service conducted inspections?”

The president said the authorities should maintain a constructive relationship with the media. He emphasized that media outlets should be able to speak out and criticize, while doing so fairly and accurately.

A Paradigma correspondent also attempted to obtain comments from representatives of Uzbek non-governmental, non-profit organizations who attended the conference, as well as from the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Oliy Majlis, the Ombudsman. However, they declined to offer even brief comments.

Will Statements Made on the International Stage Be Heard at Home?

As Uzbekistan seeks to strengthen its position internationally, human rights issues within the country continue to be discussed at international events such as the Warsaw conference.

Such statements may affect the country’s international reputation. At the same time, statements by international organizations, concerns raised by human rights defenders, and responses from official institutions should be understood as the positions of different parties.

In Tashanov’s view, the key issue is ensuring that problems raised on international platforms do not remain confined to conference halls. They must also be discussed within Uzbekistan and addressed through practical solutions.