Uzbekistan: CFWIJ Condemns The Attempt Of Intimidation Against Our Fellow Agnieszka Pikulicka
Location: Uzbekistan, Tashkent
Date: March 30, 2021
The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) fellow and the reporter Agnieszka Pikulicka was subjected to intimidation due to the attack against LGBTİQ+ vlogger Miraziz Bazarov she followed and covered. Agnieszka’s boyfriend and her loved ones questioned by the security forces aiming to silence the journalist. The CFWIJ is utterly dismayed by these brutal attacks against the journalist. We demand Uzbek authorities to respect the LGBQİ+ rights and provide a safer environment to everyone.
The LGBQİ+ vlogger Miraziz Bazarov was viciously beaten and taken to the hospital because of the criticism he made about the Uzbek government’s refusal to decriminalize same-sex relations. Reporter Agnieszka Pikulicka, who is also a member of CFWIJ, followed the incident and went to learn Bazarov’s condition to the hospital he was taken to. Thereafter, Agnieszka’s boyfriend was deliberately questioned by the security forces to intimidate the journalist.
Agnieszka took her Twitter to announce her and her partner’s situation. She said, “My boyfriend is now being questioned by the security services (he is not a journo/activist but he was with me in the hospital yesterday). That's quite an unfortunate move.”
My boyfriend is now being questioned by the security services (he is not a journo/activist but he was with me in the hospital yesterday). That's quite an unfortunate move. Dear security services, you better go after the radicals who are sending ppl death threats #Uzbekistan
— Agnieszka Pikulicka (@Aga_Pik) March 29, 2021
She followed that her boyfriend questioned nearly four hours for just being in the same hospital with Bazarov. Also, her friend was questioned later. “Security services have been questioning my boyfriend for the past 4 hrs (and counting). For no reason. He did not commit any offence; he was only present at the hospital where #Bazarov was hospitalised. Another friend who was with us has been called for questioning to #Uzbekistan”, she added.
The security services are now actively searching for gay men. Showing pictures of individuals they suspect of being gay and putting immense pressure on people to give away info about the LGBT community. More people will be questioned tomorrow. This is the new #Uzbekistan.
— Agnieszka Pikulicka (@Aga_Pik) March 29, 2021
Agnieszka is a freelance journalist, based in Tashkent. She has been reporting significant stories with Al Jazeera English, Guardian, Eurasianet, Diplomat and many other media outlets.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns these terrible events which Agnieszka and her loved one had to face. These attacks by the security forces are intimidation against the journalist. We find the events that Agnieszka quite alarming and an unfortunate example of the persistent threats to press freedom in Uzbekistan. We demand Uzbek authorities end their attempt to silence journalists.
The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.
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