Laws should take strict action against manipulators – Alisher Kadyrov

Alisher Kadyrov, a deputy of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan and head of the "Milliy Tiklanish" Democratic Party faction, stated that insults and humiliation in the information space should be treated as serious crimes and punished accordingly. He shared his views on his official Telegram channel.

Kadyrov noted that an increasing number of individuals are using the word "people" as a shield to spread hatred. He emphasized that the Constitution defines who has the right to speak on behalf of the people, while others should learn to speak for themselves, engage in discussions and debates, and take responsibility for their words.

“Unfortunately, business and government structures have developed a negative practice of coordinating and manipulating individuals with psychological or intellectual disabilities on the internet to serve narrow interests. Laws must put an end to such manipulation, regardless of who is behind it,” Kadyrov wrote.

The deputy also pointed to the Ukrainian crisis as an example of the dangers posed by manipulative information campaigns.

“Hasn’t the Ukrainian crisis clearly demonstrated that such information projects can eventually become uncontrollable — harming not only their creators but also thousands of people, both young and old?” he stated.

Kadyrov further emphasized the need to draw clear boundaries in online discourse and cultural norms.

“The fact that the internet is a platform for monetization and expressing personal opinions is certainly a positive development — one of the greatest discoveries of our time — and we welcome it. However, we must stop making compromises with those who cross the lines of order and culture under the guise of freedom,” he wrote.

It should be recalled that 26-year-old blogger Yugay Valeriy, previously known by the alias "Abdullah", was arrested between October and November 2024 while in the Republic of Korea. He had published a series of offensive statements on social media against citizens of Uzbekistan, which were deemed to incite interethnic conflict, insult national values, and promote religious discrimination.