Elections: media workers in fear
Media and Internet, UzbekistanNo Comment
Previously, we wrote about the upcoming elections in Uzbekistan and about the pre-election campaign activities of the candidates. Initially six, but currently four (two of them dropped out, as they could not collect 5% of electorates signatures) candidates for presidency have already publicized their programs (platform). You can have a look at them here, although, it is in Russian. I hope that English translations will come soon.
All leading newspapers and internet sites of the country have published biographies and programs of all four candidates. It is a normal process before the presidential elections. But there is a problem. According to the number order given to the candidates by the Central Election Committee, the list looks like this: 1st - Asliddin Rustamov – Peoples Democratic Party; 2nd - Dilorom Tashmuhamedova – “Adolat� (Justice) Social-Democratic Party; 3rd - Akmal Saidov – slated by the initiative group of voter; and the last 4th – current president of the country Islam Karimov from Liberal Democratic Party. This means that everywhere, where the candidates’ names appear, may it be in media or in voting bulletins, this order must be kept. However, according to Sergei Ezhkov in Uzmetronom.com, some leading newspapers of the country, like “Khalk suzi�, “Narodnoe slovo� and “Pravda Vostoka�, broke this rule and gave the first place to the current first person of the country – Islam Karimov. Sergei Ezhkov believes that this happened due to the superiority of other candidates programs over Karimov’s one.
If you closely read the texts of programs of the candidates, you come to a conclusion that intentions of Akmal Saidov about the democratization of society and the government look more persuasive in comparison to the statements of Islam Karimov… Probably this factor made editors’ of the newspapers change their minds, who, fearing possible results, gave their priority to the current president.
The fear of editors is justified. Elections day is coming closer and the atmosphere in Uzbekistan is getting very tense. In order to keep order and “pro-Karimovâ€? mood in the country, law enforcement agencies will do their best to shut up every mind that contradicts to the one coming from Oq Saroi (White Houe). Due to this and to the fact that Alisher Saipov, a prominent journalist who severely criticized Karimov’s policy, was recently killed, today everyone in Uzbekistan, especially media workers, are careful of their steps.
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