Uzbekistan: Prosecutors Demand 6-Year Sentence for Journalist Mavjuda Mirzaeva
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the relentless legal harassment, demands immediate acquittal without any conditions
Location: Uzbekistan, Tashkent
Date: September 5, 2023
Prosecutors in Tashkent have requested a six-year prison sentence for Mavjuda Mirzaeva — the journalist is charged with slander, insult, and extortion. They additionally seek to bar Mirzaeva from working as a journalist for three years following her imprisonment. The Coalition For Women In Journalism expresses solidarity with Mavjuda Mirzaeva and vehemently condemns the charges brought against her. We demand her immediate and unconditional acquittal.
Journalist Mavjuda Mirzaeva and three others, including news outlet Human.uz’s director Khurshid Daliev, stand accused of defamation, insult, extortion, and money laundering charges. The journalists are alleged to be in charge of Kompromatuzb, a telegram channel with over 130,000 subscribers exposing illegal activities of governmental agencies and public officials.
It is unknown who the moderators of Kompromatuzb are, and the information shared is often not verifiable with open sources. Uzbek journalists and government officials told RFE/RL Uzbekistan (Ozodlik) that it had even gained popularity among government employees, jokingly searching each other to check if they committed any illegal actions
According to the prosecutors, the defendants reportedly established communication with employees of financial institutions and other agencies, acquiring details about their professional endeavors and personal confidential information. These pieces of information were then allegedly exploited as a tool for extortion.
According to the indictment, 19 victims and 10 civil plaintiffs are involved in the case. However, several “victims” were unaware they were included on the list.
“After the list of victims in the Kompromatuzb case was published, more than thirty of my friends called and wrote to me and asked if everything was okay,” says the surprised journalist Otabek Kuldoshev.
“I am not a victim. For what purpose did you add my name to the list of victims, or did you do it to exaggerate the case?” journalist Otabek Kuldoshev subsequently asked the press service of the Supreme Court.
When its journalists were arrested in January, Human.uz stated the baseless charges were “in full contradiction to the policy of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and a threat to freedom of speech.”
Authorities have targeted journalists with extortion charges previously. Otabek Sattoriy, a blogger critical of the government, was convicted to six-and-a-half years for similar charges two years ago.
In Mirzaeva’s case, prosecutors have requested the court to impose a three-year prohibition on her to work as a journalist after serving a six-year prison term.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism firmly stands in solidarity with Mavjuda Mirzaeva and expresses its unwavering support for her. We vehemently condemn the unjust legal harassment she is facing, recognizing it as a direct threat to press freedom. We demand the authorities immediately release the journalist and drop all charges against her.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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