10 individuals were sentenced on February 12 for their involvement in the assassination attempt on Komil Allamjonov, former head of Uzbekistan's Presidential Administration’s Information Policy Department and a prominent figure in the nation's information policy.
The court handed down varying sentences to the accused, with Djavlan Yunusov, who was accused of organizing the attack, receiving 18 years in prison. Shukhrat Rasulov, Shohrukh Akhmedov, and Ismoil Jahongirov were sentenced to 23 years each, while Doniyor Tashkhodjaev received a 7-year sentence. These verdicts come after a lengthy investigation into the plot to harm Allamjonov.
In the wake of the ruling, Allamjonov shared a message on his Telegram account, expressing resilience in the face of adversity. He recalled a saying from his late grandmother:
“May God protect me from fire, water, and slander. All I have gone through in the past five months is known only to me, my family, and those closest to me,” he wrote.
Komil Allamjonov stated that while the truth may be distorted or hidden, it cannot be suppressed and will eventually be revealed.
He expressed gratitude and faith in divine justice:
“Thank God a thousand times. Those who run away from their servant cannot run away from their Creator. There are still things to do and many more testing days ahead. May God grant us the grace to overcome all of this with a bright face!” He ended his message with a prayer for good fortune: “May God grant us all good luck!”
Komil Allamjonov, a prominent figure in Uzbekistan’s media landscape, has held several key positions throughout his career. From December 2017, he served as the head of the President’s press service, later leading the Press and Information Agency of Uzbekistan, which was restructured in 2019 as the Agency for Information and Mass Communications under the Presidential Administration. Allamjonov took on the role of Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Mass Media Support Fund in 2020 and served as Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration in 2022.
Allamjonov’s tenure was marked by significant strides toward press freedom, transparency in government operations, and reforms in the public education system. He was a strong advocate for freedom of speech, often emphasizing that it is the right of every individual, as well as the press, to operate within the boundaries of law.
“Freedom of speech is everyone’s right. Both the press and the individuals reflected in it. It is important to strike this balance. So, there is no way back – that’s for sure. Only forward. Forward – within the framework of rights, norms, and the law, forward,” he once said.
In a statement to journalists, Allamjonov stressed the vital role of the press in contemporary society:
“In today’s era, the press is not only a mirror, but also an institution at the level of defense and security.”
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