A BBC reporter faces an unofficial ban in Tashkent

Avaz Tohkhirov, journalist from the BBC Uzbek Service, has said that he was not allowed to photograph in the park “New Uzbekistan” and in Independence Square.  This was announced on his Facebook page on 26 August.

“The saga will continue. The situation that happened yesterday in the park “New Uzbekistan” was repeated today in Independence Square.  The guards who were sitting at the back of the radio set didn’t even let us take a picture of the Arch.”

“I thought - the accreditation document of a foreign correspondent is a piece of paper, which is not suitable for anything other than allaying himself, saying that “we have been allowed to work”, - Tokhirov says.

He criticized the fact that tourists with cameras in their hands, can take as many photos as they want, and that the restrictions concern accredited journalists and ordinary citizens.

‘The most interesting thing is that a group of tourists can take many photos in the square with their cameras.  If you are a tourist, everything is possible, if you are an accredited correspondent - "Get out of here."  Then imagine the situation of ordinary citizens in relation to freedom.

Funny and sad - the show was dedicated to Independence Day.

Dear officials, I hope that you will one day convey these problems to the head of state, who has repeatedly stated that he supports journalists," - the journalist concluded.

He said that he was also unofficially banned in the “New Uzbekistan’ park.

“I am in the “New Uzbekistan” park.  I am preparing a show about independence, but they say that in order to shoot in the park, I need to send a written request and get permission”, - Avaz Tokhirov says.

He noted that he had not seen any prohibitory signs or anything in the park indicating that this was an area that required special permission to enter.

“My request for a written statement on the need for permission to shoot in the park remained unanswered. So, what is the importance of the accreditation certificate issued by the government?” - said Tokhirov, recalling the procedure established by the legislation.

The legislation states that:

“The State guarantees free access to and dissemination of information to an accredited foreign correspondent ensuring his protection in the performance of his professional activities.

Accredited foreign correspondents have the right to move freely in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan, except for places that are closed or require special permission.”

The journalist appealed to the Tashkent city administration and asked how would they explain this order of the garden under the trusteeship of the organization.

“During the mutual conversations, it was said that a special order was established, as the park will soon be visited by the president, and later it was decided to send a letter with a request for permission to the management of the park.  However, no document attesting to special order had been submitted.

To non-journalists, this may seem like a trivial problem.  However, in Uzbekistan journalists often face the problem of unwritten bans, and this has a serious negative impact on the work of the profession.  The mood of the journalist who has started to prepare the material is disturbed, and his dreams scatter like millet.  I hope the government will take steps to improve the situation”, - says the BBC journalist.