Uzbekistan to study creating an independent media ombudsman

Uzbekistan plans to study the possibility of creating a media ombudsman independent of the state to protect the rights of journalists. The measure is part of a plan to improve the country's position in the World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders.

The plan was approved by the Senate Kengash in a resolution of 15 October 2026. The document also provides for an open electronic register of administrative and criminal cases against journalists and bloggers, with information on court rulings and sentences.

Under the plan, the Prosecutor General's Office, the Supreme Court, the Interior Ministry and other responsible agencies must prepare information on cases against members of the media by February 2027. By May, the data is to be placed in a separate electronic register and updated regularly.

The plan also provides for reviewing cases of criminal prosecution of journalists who have been released from prison, as well as the restoration of their rights and their rehabilitation.

Particular attention will be paid to legal protection for media workers. Free initial legal consultations are to be offered at the Union of Journalists of Uzbekistan regardless of membership. Where necessary, lawyers' services may also be subsidised.

Another measure concerns how government bodies work with the press. The authorities intend to develop common standards of openness for state bodies and to assess their heads on how accessible they make information to journalists.

The plan also includes annual anonymous surveys of journalists on self-censorship, pressure and safety, as well as transparent criteria for distributing state advertising and information contracts among media outlets.

The possibility of a media ombudsman will be studied on the basis of international experience, with proposals due by April 2027. The mechanism is also to be tested on a voluntary basis with the consent of newsrooms.

The need for these measures is explained by Uzbekistan's position in the press freedom index. In 2026, the country ranked 147th out of 180 with a score of 34.95. The Senate acknowledged that previously set targets had not been met.

Among the factors affecting the country's score, the document lists a high level of state control over the media, economic pressure on journalists, the underdevelopment of independent private television and restrictions on the professional activities of media workers.