Recently, social networks, particularly channels in the Fergana Valley, have been widely discussing personal information and various claims related to Andijan Region Governor Shuhratbek Abdurahmonov, his family members, and close relatives. In this regard, many citizens have appealed to the Effect.uz editorial office, expressing complaints as to why this topic is not being covered on the website.
Clarifying the situation, the agency's correspondent answered the questions of interest to citizens and issued an important warning. As the correspondent noted, there are several serious legal and professional reasons why reports of this nature are not published in the media. Firstly, it is unknown who first prepared the circulating appeals and information, and who the actual source is. Secondly, no one has the right to bring topics related to a person's private life or family matters to the public without any evidence, because private life is inviolable. Thirdly, various unfounded accusations have been put forward on networks regarding the governor's relatives holding high positions in state organizations and their activities. Meanwhile, according to the legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan, every person is personally responsible for their own actions, and a father is not responsible for his son, nor an elder brother for his younger brother. Special attention is paid to the purity and evidential basis of the information presented to the public, and Effect.uz never covers information without substantiated documents at hand.
To study the situation in detail, the Effect.uz editorial team contacted the information service of the Andijan Region Khokimiyat and received the necessary responses. As it turned out, the person who prepared and distributed these false materials and slander defaming the honor of the governor and his family has been identified and has already been brought to legal responsibility.
As is known, any illegal action receives a legal assessment within the framework of the legislation. According to Article 33 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, everyone is guaranteed the right to seek, receive, and disseminate any information. In this sense, individuals and citizens have the right to receive information approved within the framework of the legislation and to share this information with other persons. It should be noted that the dissemination of false information, if such information tends to disparage a person's dignity or negatively affect public life, entails administrative or criminal liability depending on the degree of impact.
Regarding the issue of liability for disseminating false information, special legal norms are established in the Administrative Responsibility Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. According to Article 202-2 of the Administrative Responsibility Code, the dissemination of false information leading to the defamation or humiliation of a person's dignity, including dissemination in the mass media, telecommunication networks, or the Internet, entails a fine in the amount of 50 times the base calculation amount (today, since the base calculation amount is 375,000 soums, this amounts to 18,750,000 soums). The dissemination of false information posing a threat to public order or public safety entails a fine ranging from 50 to 100 times the base calculation amount.
According to Article 244-6 of the Criminal Code, if a person previously subjected to administrative liability for disseminating false information that leads to the humiliation of a person's dignity or defamation commits the same offense repeatedly, they shall be punished with a fine of up to 150 times the base calculation amount, or mandatory community service of up to 240 hours, or correctional labor of up to 2 years, or restriction of freedom of up to 2 years. The dissemination of false information that threatens public order or public safety, if committed after the application of an administrative penalty for such actions, entails a fine of up to 200 times the base calculation amount, or mandatory community service of up to 300 hours, or correctional labor of up to 2 years, or restriction of freedom of up to 2 years.
In conclusion, according to the legislation, false information is understood as data that does not correspond to reality. The dissemination of information that defames the honor, dignity, and business reputation of individuals is understood as publishing it in mass media, stating it in service descriptions, speaking in public, in applications written to the names of officials, or reporting it otherwise, including orally, to several people or even to one person. Telling such information solely to the person concerned is not considered dissemination of this information.
Today, many citizens are leaving offensive words and various negative comments under those reports circulating on the networks. In this regard, the correspondent urged all our compatriots to be vigilant. If you have substantiated complaints regarding the activities of the head of any state body, the regional governor, or their relatives, you should submit them in an official application format not to social networks or channels with unknown sources, but to higher-ranking organizations that supervise the activities of khokims. If you are not sure about the correctness of a report, you should refrain from sharing it with others. Tomorrow, when interrogated by law enforcement agencies, excuses like "I just read this on some Telegram channel and forwarded it to others" or "I posted a comment without thinking" will not save you from legal liability.
"Therefore, do not try to mislead the public with false and unfounded information. Continue to follow Effect.uz, we will always show you the truth of events," the video message states.
For information, Shuhratbek Abdurahmonov has been serving as the Governor of Andijan Region since April 2014.
Prepared by Muhammad Ali Kozoqov.
