For several months, journalist Agnieszka Pikulicka-Wilczewska was harassed by an employee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition, she was required to provide positive content from Uzbekistan. She announced this on Twitter, writing the details of the persecution.
She claims that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected her application for accreditation after six months, although the law provides for a consideration of two months. The reason for the refusal was “work for other media, and not only for an accredited one”. Agnieszka positions herself as an independent journalist. She collaborates with Al Jazeera English, Guardian, Eurasianet, Diplomat and other media.
“It took them six months to come up with an excuse. Here is the story of my relationship with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Last year I received accreditation, and I was assigned an employee named Rustam from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At first he seemed useful, but it soon became clear that he was interested in more than just work,” the journalist said.
The scandalous situation caused great damage to the country’s reputation. Therefore, Komil Allamzhonov, the head of the board of trustees of the Public Fund for Support and Development of National Mass Media, was the first to react diplomatically, without showing any attitude to harassment. The chief image-maker said that the journalist’s complaint “causes us very serious concern and, of course, requires clarification and the most careful study”. At the same time, he distorted the name of the journalist in his post.
“These allegations are troubling. I hope they will be properly investigated,” British Ambassador Timothy Torlot commented the situation. “Sexual harassment is inadmissible. Efforts to put pressure on journalists are wrong and undermine media freedom.”
Chargé d’affaires of the Polish Embassy in Tashkent, Tomasz Kollat, told a correspondent of Podrobno.uz that the diplomatic mission is very concerned about the journalist’s statements and is waiting for the reaction of the Uzbek Department.
“We are very concerned about this issue. We have read publications on this matter, comments to them. And we are also waiting for what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan will say, since Agnieszka is, first of all, a citizen of Poland. Also, I think that this situation has raised a serious question about the freedom of speech and the activities of the mass media,” the diplomat expressed his opinion.
At the time of writing the text, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not commented on the accusations of the journalist.
In the majority, local colleagues rule out the manipulation of Agnieszka by the topic of harassment. Uzbek blogger Nikita Makarenko noted that he had no reason not to trust her. “I heard about this harassment from her personally long before that,” Makarenko said. “She just endured, like millions of other women.”
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