Mirziyoev’s daughter: our goal is to support journalists and bloggers

On January 29, the director of the Agency for Information and Mass Communications Komil Allamjonov and his deputy Saida Mirziyoeva left their posts. On January 31, K. Allamjonov was elected head of the board of trustees of the Public Fund for the Support and Development of National Mass Media, and S. Mirziyoeva again became his deputy. The Fund’s work was announced on January 23.

 Such a rapid development of events took the media community by surprise, which former officials for nine months patronized too much and established rules for it.

The journalist, on condition of anonymity, noted that with such staff gallop, Saida would be the next president, and Komil – the prime minister. “The vision of such perspective today seems utopian, nevertheless the conclusion has a right to exist. Allamjonov is an experienced courtier. He made his career under Karimov, being his press secretary, and then became a successful businessman,” the journalist emphasized. “Now he is the de facto mentor of Saida, able to guide the presidential daughter through the maze of difficult domestic politics.”

However, it is unlikely that four years ago the media community could expect verbal support from the President, the unblocking of independent online publications, the accreditation of foreign news agencies, and the release of journalists from prisons.

According to a journalist from Uzbekistan, “the decision to change jobs under the leadership of Allamjonov was made personally by Mirziyoev. This will help her daughter avoid the temptation of power and prepare for the gradual entry into big politics”.

Journalists fear that the Media Support Fund may soon have a negative impact on the media community.

“It’s clear that the Fund will have enough financing. We’ll see how foreign media organizations line up to offer services to the Fund,” said a journalist from Uzbekistan. “Media managers are more willing to start working with a non-governmental organization than with a government agency. I think in the very near future we will know it.”

On February 2, Saida Mirziyoeva made a speech at the presentation of the Fund. The text abounded with general phrases like “now it’s time to unite professionals, journalists and bloggers”, “we believe in freedom of speech, and we believe in its strength”, “our goal is to support journalists and bloggers so that you become a voice for those, who doesn’t have that voice”.

As deputy head of the Agency for Information and Mass Communications, Saida Mirziyoeva did not earn much fame by her personal efforts for, as she pathetically proclaimed, “ensuring freedom of speech, openness of government agencies and protecting the rights and interests of journalists and bloggers”. More likely the newsmaker was Komil Allamjonov, who skillfully separated and provided information about attacks on the media sphere. In fact, as the President’s daughter, Saida greatly contributed to creating a comfort zone for loyal to power journalists and bloggers. It is noteworthy how restrained they reacted to her new work, judging by the content of posts on social networks and non-public comments for ACCA.

“As a public figure, I will continue to promote the cultural heritage of our country, issues of gender equality in Uzbekistan and continue to work to protect persons with disabilities,” said Saida Mirziyoeva.

According to an ACCA expert, soon the President’s daughter may be involved in reforming the public sector.

“In this field, she’s not going to repeat the fate of another presidential daughter and currently serving a prison term, Gulnara Karimova, saying “we are learning by the history and mistakes of the past that should not stop us,” the expert emphasized. “Then it was no coincidence that publications on bureaucratic arbitrariness in registering non-governmental non-profit organizations appeared almost simultaneously in Uzbek media, social networks and Telegram channels.”