Is Information and Mass Communications Agency trying to stifle press freedom?

QALAMPIR.UZ, known for posing tough questions to government representatives, has been barred from attending press conferences held by the Information and Mass Communications Agency. The reason cited is that the editorial office’s name has been removed from the agency’s list of recognized mass media outlets.

However, it is surprising that the name of an editorial office, which has been established for nine years and consistently participates in press conferences, has been excluded from this list and thus prevented from attending press conferences.

It is particularly perplexing that the agency's security guard has been instructed to notify officials when QALAMPIR.UZ journalists arrive and to deny them entry after doing so.

Today, on September 9, the agency was scheduled to host a press conference with the leadership of the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Economy, where journalists were to pose questions regarding the preparation of multi-story buildings for the autumn-winter season.

The ministry’s information service officer, who arrived late to the press conference and noticed that a journalist from QALAMPIR.UZ was not allowed to enter, spoke to the "higher-ups" and promised to admit the journalist shortly, but ultimately failed to fulfill this promise.

Footage from the press conference broadcasted live by "Uzreport" TV channel shows that the hall was sparsely populated with journalists. Notably, there were no representatives from private media outlets present, and the space designated for journalists was instead occupied by employees of the Ministry of Construction, such as the press secretary, Saidnosir Usmanov.

It appears that either the Ministry of Construction was apprehensive about QALAMPIR.UZ’s questions, or the Information and Mass Communications Agency is deliberately preventing the outlet’s journalist from participating in these press conferences.

The QALAMPIR.UZ website was registered as a mass media outlet on October 26, 2018, by the Information and Mass Communications Agency under the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Uzbekistan, with registration number 1089.

The Information and Mass Communications Agency, under the Presidential Administration, is the state body responsible for developing and implementing unified state policy in the field of information in Uzbekistan. It also supports the development of mass media, press, publishing, printing, and information-library activities.

The agency’s responsibilities include ensuring transparency in the activities of state bodies and other organizations, promoting a culture of open, public interaction with the media among civil servants, and assisting by coordinating and providing methodological support to their press services (public relations units).

The agency has made several attempts to prevent the QALAMPIR.UZ journalist from attending press conferences under the pretext of the list. However, after prolonged arguments, the journalist managed to attend the press conference and demanded that the site’s name be reinstated on the list.

Yet, the agency continues to insist on barring the QALAMPIR.UZ journalist from attending press conferences, citing the same outdated list as justification.

Why is the agency that accredited QALAMPIR.UZ now violating its rights?

Why does the agency, responsible for maintaining the list, not feel accountable to the journalists?

We request an explanation from the management of the agency and the Ministry of Construction regarding this situation.

                                                                                           HULKAR MURTAZOEVA