“You can't do anything.” Andijan administration gives a false reaction to justify Abdurahmanov

Shuhrat Abdurahmanov, governor of the Andijan region, told journalists in social networks and mass media, "Don't look for evil in my words. You can't do anything wrong... Your hair will turn gray or fall out as soon as you think about it, but nothing else will happen." These statements have sparked heated debates. The Union of Journalists of Uzbekistan reacted to the situation.

According to reports, the mayor made these comments during a dialogue with journalists in the city of Khanabad during the "Dunyo sadolari (Sounds of the World)" international festival held in the region. It was attended by a group of representatives from the central mass media—journalists from the capital.

"The governor's remarks to journalists cannot be justified. In the material presented by the representative of the information service of the provincial governorship, it was reported that the mayor directed the comments not at journalists, but at others. However, several central mass media representatives who participated in the same dialogue confirm that Shuhrat Abdurahmanov made these statements to the journalists.

Additionally, our journalists who attended the "Dunyo sadolari (Sounds of the World)" international festival from Tashkent reported experiencing misunderstandings and obstacles in covering the event.

The Union of Journalists of Uzbekistan reminds us that Article 82 of the updated Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan stipulates that obstruction or interference with mass media activities is subject to legal liability. The Union calls on all official leaders to strictly adhere to this norm, which has been reinforced in our General Dictionary.

"The association condemns the governor of Andijan region's actions. It urges the relevant authorities to respond to this situation in accordance with the requirements established by law," the statement reads.