Social Media - The Times Of Central Asia

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Rahmon Calls To End Persecution For Social Media ‘Likes’

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has called on law enforcement agencies to stop prosecuting citizens for their activity on social media, particularly for likes and comments. Rahmon said this at the opening of a new training institute for Interior Ministry personnel, timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Constitution and the Day of the Tajik Police. In Tajikistan, even adding simple “likes” on posts by opposition figures, or reposting their videos, can lead to arrest. Since 2016, the country's Criminal Code has included a provision on “public justification of extremism,” which allows law enforcement agencies to equate likes with support for extremist ideas. For example, in August 2023, 70-year-old Kamoliddin Sharofov was sentenced to five years for liking posts on a banned website. Rahmon expressed concern over the growth of unfounded criminal cases against social media users, and noted that law enforcement agencies' actions undermine public confidence. He called for restraint, emphasizing that any police action should show respect for citizens' rights and the principles of democracy. The Tajik government has previously been criticized by the opposition and international organizations, including the U.S. State Department, for arresting citizens for their online activities.

Crime Media Freedom Social Media Court Cases Criminal Responsibility Justice

Woman in Kazakhstan Sentenced for Inciting Ethnic Hatred

In Almaty, a Kazakh woman, Maral Zhalelova, was sentenced to two years in prison for inciting ethnic hatred. The court found that in her video messages in TikTok, she called on Russians to leave Kazakhstan and insulted the ancestors of Kazakh nationality who fought against Nazi Germany during the Second World War. In doing so, she used obscene language and expressed sympathy for Adolf Hitler. Even though Zhalelova did not admit guilt, she apologized for her words. The prosecutor insisted on a five-year sentence, but the court took her apology into account and handed down the minimum sentence, considering that she deserved a “more humane punishment.” The sentence has not been enforced yet. The case began in July 2024 after complaints about Zhalelova's provocative online statements. The investigation recognized that her words offended the feelings and dignity of citizens with Russian nationality, and hurt the memory of ancestors who fought against fascism. During the trial, Zhalelova explained that her reaction was triggered by the events following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. According to her, she sought to support the Kazakh language, but during the broadcasts, insults were directed at her, and she reacted to provocation. In April 2024, another resident of Almaty, Elina Liu, also received two years in prison for making disparaging remarks about the Kazakh people and language, which the court considered as incitement to discord.

Legislation Crime Social Media Women's rights Children Rights

Uzbek Blogger Prosecuted for Post about Daughter’s Birth

A criminal case has been opened against Kashkadarya-based blogger Sardor Safarboyev, aka 'Sardor Gangster', on account of his statement on TikTok that he does not want to have a daughter. “I'm not having a daughter. If a daughter is born, I'll throw my wife out. I don't need a daughter... if it's a girl, I'll throw it straight into the dustbin. I don't need a daughter. Even if I go to hell, I will [have] a son,” Safarboyev said on air. Following heavy criticism from social media users and activists, the blogger apologized, saying that his words had been provoked by live comments on air. A girl who participated in the broadcast also spoke in Safarboyev's defense, stating that users of the site had deliberately provoked him. Iroda Rasulova, head of the press service of the Kashkadarya Oblast Department of Internal Affairs, announced that the Nishan District Department of Internal Affairs had opened a case under Article 140, Part 2 of the Uzbek Criminal Code. This article deals with insults published in the media or on the internet and provides for punishments such as a fine, community service, or correctional labor. Investigative work into the case is ongoing. Prior to TikTok being blocked in Uzbekistan, Safarboyev had over 700,000 followers on the platform and over 500,000 on Instagram. This recent incident is not the first time the blogger has been condemned. As recently as February, Safarboyev was arrested for ten days after being found guilty of petty hooliganism and manufacturing, possession, or distribution of materials propagandizing national, racial, ethnic, or religious hatred. In Uzbekistan, the preference for the birth of sons persists due to traditional attitudes and gender stereotypes. This problem, characteristic of many Asian countries, is deeply rooted in cultural and social norms. According to reports by international organizations such as UNFPA, the preference for sons leads to gender imbalance, limits women's rights, and is an issue frequently raised in international forums concerning the combating of gender discrimination.

Social Media Telegram Pavel Durov

Public in Uzbekistan Concerned About Pavel Durov’s Arrest

The arrest of the founder of the popular Telegram messaging app, Pavel Durov, in Paris on August 24 on charges of illegal activities including enabling drug trafficking, crimes against minors, and fraud has caused public discussion and unease in Uzbekistan, where use of the platform is widespread. Durov’s visit to Uzbekistan in June highlighted the platform’s deep integration into daily life in the country. “Uzbekistan loves Telegram: over 70% of the country’s 37 million people are on Telegram, and their entire economy is run on our platform - every business in the country has a Telegram bot or channel. We are proud of this popularity and love Uzbekistan,” Durov stated during his visit. Across the nation, people are now worried that Telegram may be switched off, and are talking and writing about the need to choose an alternative messenger to share files and communicate. Comments such as “Free Durov” can be found under an abundance of news and social media posts, whilst another group of users believes that such an extensive network cannot be destroyed so easily. Political scientist Hamid Sadiq told the Firkat analytical program that Durov’s arrest could be part of a more extensive planned program. Describing Durov as Telegram's “face” and his brother Nikolai as its “brain,” Sadiq noted that no one has yet been able to crack Telegram's encryption, and today, the messenger continues to work without bans in Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and even China. The political scientist describes Durov as an "anarchist," unlike Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Steve Jobs. Stating that Durov disagrees with Putin’s regime and pointing to the conflict with Vkontakte in Russia in 2014, Sadiq states that he considers the accusations against Durov to be absurd, and that Durov was granted French citizenship in 2021 “for his great political services.” As the situation develops, the impact of Durov’s arrest on Telegram’s future remains unclear. Yesterday, the Times of Central Asia reported on the reaction to this event in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Both the Russian and Ukrainian military use Telegram, with Russia’s war machine particularly reliant, and any cracks in its encryption could prove particularly disastrous to Russia’s war effort. However, as Telegram messages are not end-to-end encrypted as they are in Signal and WhatsApp – meaning they can be read by Telegram’s staff - the platform has been left open to requests to cooperate in the dissemination of data to state actors. It seems that what sets Telegram apart, attempting to bridge the gap between being a messenger app and a social media platform, may prove to be its downfall. As this story develops, it appears the public in Central Asia are right to have cause for concern.

Government media law Freedom of Speech Social Media Media Freedom Legislation

Kyrgyzstan’s Culture Ministry Wants to Fine People for Spreading “Disinformation” Online

Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports, and Youth Policy has proposed issuing fines to people who promote 'disinformation' online. According to the proposed amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses, citizens who are found to have spread false information through media, websites, or social networks could be fined up to 100,000 KGS (about $1,200). For legal entities, the amount will be 200,000 KGS (about $2,400). The ministry emphasized that in recent years there has been an increase in cases where false information on the internet has led to conflicts and a deterioration in public sentiment. However, this has sparked debate in society and among human rights activists, who fear that such measures could limit freedom of expression and lead to the control of journalists and internet users. The ministry had previously proposed other amendments, which would allow fines to be imposed for libel and slander in the media and online.

Freedom of Speech Social Media Legislation Government Media Freedom

Kyrgyzstan Establishes Center for “Information Security”

Kyrgyzstan has created the Information Environment Research Center (IERC), which will be part of the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports, and Youth Policy; its main task is to monitor and analyze the country's information space in order to protect citizens' rights and freedoms and prevent the spread of misinformation and inaccurate information. The Center will identify and block illegal content on the internet and in the media and cooperate with the administrations of major social networks such as Facebook, Google, and TikTok. It will monitor compliance with legislation in the information sphere and provide recommendations on improving the information environment in Kyrgyzstan. The establishment of the Center is part of the state strategy to strengthen information security and control the observance of citizens' rights in the media space. Earlier, we reported that a unified TV channel and a regional media platform could appear in Central Asia, which would become important elements in strengthening information security and cultural exchange in the region. This year, Central Asia, and Kazakhstan in particular, has been the subject of swathes on disinformation on the internet. However, independent media in Kyrgyzstan has been the target of repression by the authorities, which UN Special Rapporteurs have denounced.