"The administration of our country, paying special attention to mass media, journalists, all pen workers which bring the powerful contribution to development of independent Uzbekistan, thinks much of their place in a life of society", so has written in introduction of the book "The Fourth Authority" (Tashkent, publishing house "Mohnat", 2003) Jabbar Razzokov.
Introduction refers to "Leadership of the law; a command of time", and the author tries to assess functioning of mass-media of Uzbekistan. Unfortunately, nothing is present except of grandiosity and officiality in a material. It is not analyzed, for example, why in August 2002 changes have been brought into the acting law "On mass media", and earlier, in May "UzLit" (state censorship body) was liquidated, in July the State Committee on Press within the Agency of Press and Information was reorganized.
Z.Razzokov perfectly knows background of these processes, and that they have been initiated by the international public, in particular, pressure of Europe and the US, demanding democratization of the country as the authority before ignored requirements of journalists to abolish the repressive control on mass media.
The words sound insulting, that the leadership highly estimates the workers of pen. It estimated those who sang of pseudo-successes of national economy, reforms in a political and social life, about care of Islam Karimov of each citizen. They were also awarded with gifts and medals, certificates of honor, honorary titles. Those who tried to state other point of view, at the best lost work or had time to emigrate, in the worse got for a lattice. Lists of these journalists at international human rights organizations annually updated with new names and refined ways of prosecution.
But what does Z.Razzokov write further? His next phrase: "Mass media play extremely important role in formation of public thinking, in strengthening, first of all, in consciousness of youth of ideology of national independence". What ideology is that, very few people know about, but it should adhere in writing of articles, dissertations, speeches, the requirement of authorities is those. No, by the way, and the governmental documents are regulating this "mysterious" concept. Clearly, that after communism there was a problem of ideological vacuum, and to compose it has fallen to Islam Karimov. Most likely, this is magnifying the aggressor Amir Temur, glorification of the Middle Ages, installation of mines and a barbed wire on borders with neighbors, persecution of religious figures and opposition, infringement of the rights and freedom of the person, torture in retaliatory bodies, a passing examinations on works of the president at schools and high schools and continuous citing of Islam Karimov in scientific dissertations, etc. Meanwhile, according to article 12 , "no any ideology can be established as state one".
"The mass media being "the fourth authority", should open wide road to various opinions, views and approaches, to form in people the conscious attitude to changes occurring in our life, to carry out the activity on principles of objectivity and honesty", writes Z.Razzokov. Within decades in Uzbekistan there was not and till now there is no political pluralism. As it can exist, if the opposition is expelled, dissidents are pursued, expelled the journalists writing the point of view on events which differs from official. The president does not tolerate dissent, those people who dares to argue with him. Everyone remember, how during a meeting with the president of European Bank Jacque Lemier, who criticized republic for gross violation of human rights, he has thrown headphones, in a pointed manner ignoring translation. Still the act of a similar position is in force – the filtration of the Internet, many foreign sites are simply closed for citizens of Uzbekistan. In fact knowingly the organization Reporters Without Borders again have brought Uzbekistan to number of enemies of the World Wide Web.
There is such a joke: in Uzbekistan there is a pluralism, that is two opinions: one governmental, and another wrong one. These words, as it is sad, reflect an existing political paradigm of authority of Islam Karimov.
"The rights fixed behind them and a duty to be true to the fact and vital realities correspond to their status of "the fourth authority" which overall objective is to serve people and the state", continues Z.Razzokov. If the press becomes authority, irrespective of its serial number, that is state machinery then it is not necessary to be surprised to that it rots, in it authorities adequate to three other branches processes – bureaucracy, corruption, desire to hide the truth from voters, an arbitrariness and reprisals are traced. The purpose of press is to cover events in a society and activity of the government, with this providing the population with the information on those whom they have put forward in authority. And to not serve at all to the state which mean the person - Islam Karimov, more often. Remember a phrase of one French king: "The State is Me".
I shall mention Z.Razzokov's next citation: "Now in our country all legal conditions are created for free, wide and open activity of the mass media working in the given sphere of creative collectives". If the authority is to be praised, that means all is good, then, anything good in reality is not present are we have acquired since times of communism. Amendments to the law "On mass media" from 1997 were accepted without participation of those on whom it is directed. It was presented to journalists, not having asked at all their opinion and not having taken an interest in wishes. Therefore there are number of defects and the incidents at times contradicting to the Constitution. Moreover, amendments have not been published in periodicals, except only in the book "The Fourth Authority" to me was possible to familiarize with them. And the governmental decree about licensing mass-media in general is inaccessible.
About what legal conditions there is a speech if to many journalists, working for foreign mass-media, refuse in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in accreditation, not explaining the reason. I, for example, looked forward to hearing a reply for 16 months and only after constant reminders on the existence have received it with refusal without any substantiation. By the way, I'm only journalist in Uzbekistan who has received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs refusal in written form.
"For ordering and support of activity of mass media for last two years Oliy Majlis (parliament) has accepted a number of laws protecting journalists from arbitrariness of the officials and serving as a guarantee from economic and administrative pressure upon workers of press, TV and radio", asserts Z.Razzokov. And why earlier the parliament did not ask a question how counter to Constitution (item 67) functions the censorship, which, by the way, is financed due to the state budget? But operated statutory acts which allowed to hide any data, for example, about existence of such republics as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, about beggars and corrupted persons, even jokes, advertising of shampoo, the report of weather forecast and crossword puzzles were carefully checked on presence of the state secret. Absurdity, but it was that "democratic" laws function. From here comes the following conclusion: the law remain the formal reply if the state will not cease to break it, and journalists don't learn to protect themselves.
But Z.Razzokov's following words have touched the heart: "Due to the personal initiative and persistence of our President Islam Karimov two more laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan have been accepted: "On protection of professional work of journalist" and "About principles and guarantees of freedom of information". These laws are remarkable that they do not have analogues in the legislation of many countries". Most likely, Z.Razzokov did not read laws of other states, differently from his pen such bosh would not leave. If our normative-legal document about mass media have divided into a little bit separate, independent laws in abroad all these have reduced in one big, but the practical law. Simply in Uzbekistan quantity wanted to receive quality whereas in Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Georgia one certificate have reached the quality, not spending a paper and time for nonsense.
